Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms (Ch 1)
by thewolveriness
Summary: The Pieces of Eden aren't the only items the Assassins are searching for. Some have family heirlooms that the Templars wish to have, and one Assassin must retrieve these items before they end up in Templar hands. But, these items are more than what they appear.
1. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 1

Music and lights filled the outdoor arena in a local town as Billy Idol rocked the night away in front of a packed house. There were barriers several feet in front of the stage with security standing in front to make sure no one tried to jump the barriers and get on stage. The crowd varied in all ages and a good number of them were dressed in full on punk outfits, and each outfit varied by decade; old styles and new styles a like.

Standing at the front was a girl, who appeared to be in her early 20's, that might have been the shortest one there standing at about five foot three. She wasn't much of a crowd person, but she kept on ignoring the people next to her and behind her as she allowed herself to get lost in the music…and in Billy Idol's looks, of course. She was dressed in a more modern day punk look with a long sleeved shirt underneath a leather vest, which was covered in studs and patches, tight pants with patches on them and combat boots that appeared to have seen better days. Her black hair with purple tips went down to her shoulder with the right side of it buzzed. The right side was full on purple. She had several ear piercings and had her lip, nose, and eyebrow pierced.

Amongst the dark jewelry, a small white gold earring stood out on the bottom of her right ear. It looked tight on the ear, but there was just a small gap between the lob and the earring. It was hard to tell where the earring stopped and started because inside was a magnet to keep it from falling off her ear.

As the concert drew to an end, she held back while allowing everyone else to leave before her. She had no where to go, even though it was after ten at night. She decided that she'd head to her favorite hangout and spend some time there until she was ready to return home. Just as the people around her began to move towards the exit, she felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out to see a text message, which read; _**Come home as soon as the show is over.**_ With a roll over her eyes, she placed the phone back into her pocket and followed the remaining few people out of the arena. She headed straight for town to her favorite coffee shop, which was open twenty-four hours. As soon as she approached it, she opened up the door and stepped inside the Gothic paradise.

The coffee shop was a dark setting with purple lights filling up the medium sized shop. It was easy to see that those who attended the concert had showed up for a late night drink and a snack. She approached the counter and ordered her usually, a hot blood, or more simply put, a hot chocolate with red food coloring. All the drinks and food items were labeled in a Gothic tone, but didn't taste as they appeared. They were just normal drinks and treats one would find at a normal coffee shop.

Upon receiving her drink, she walked over to an empty bar table and seated herself. She placed her phone on the table before taking slow sips of the drink. While she enjoyed the drink, she disliked burning her tongue, which happened a lot when she ordered a hot chocolate. She sat back in her seat and stared out the large window right next to her as she watched some people passing by. She began to drift and wasn't sure how long she was in her fantasy world before she heard a voice across from her calling her name.

"Vera! Hey! Vera!"

Vera quickly snapped back to reality and turned to face the person who had spoken to her, "Oh, Billy! It's just you. I thought it was…"

Billy raised his hand, "No, it's just me."

He was perfect for this setting for he was dressed from head to toe in Gothic clothing. He even sported some black make up, including nail polish, along with a lip and nose piercing. His black hair was the same length as Vera's. He stood taller than Vera at six foot.

"I've been told you got a text message."

Vera glanced at her phone for a moment, "I did…just decided to ignore it. You all know I like to come here after concerts."

"It's getting dangerous out there. It would be wise to listen to what he has to say."

"Billy, relax for awhile, won't you? Yes, I understand what's going on in the world today, but we really shouldn't worry about it. Now, go grab yourself a drink and just chill for awhile."

Billy looked down at his watch, "Fine. We'll stay for about an hour, but then we head back." He rose from his seat, then walked over to the counter.

"Something tells me an hour won't happen." Vera whispered to herself as she picked up her cup and took a sip.

It was after one in the morning when the two of them slipped past a gate and into their home, which was a bunch of buildings that looked like shacks, but were built like homes. There were two larger buildings inside the gated area as well. There was a small rode that lead to the main building, the rest of the area was grass and trees.

Billy walked Vera to her home, "He's going to kill us when he finds out what time we got in here." He whispered to her as he kept an eye out.

Vera shrugged a little, "It's not like this hasn't happened before." She turned to face him, "He'll get over it."

Billy nodded slightly, "Have a good night."

"Same to you, my friend." Vera bowed her head slightly as she watched him head off to his home. She walked up the steps to the porch, then opened up the door and stepped inside.

It was a small area with a living room, kitchen and dining room, laundry room, bathroom and bedroom, but it worked for her.

She walked into her bedroom and quickly changed into some PJs that she left out on the bed, then collapsed on the bed. She placed her phone on the nightstand and quickly passed out.

Around six thirty that morning, she was awoken to the sound of a workout session jogging past her place. She groaned angrily as she grabbed her pillow and placed it over her head.

"Normal people are trying to sleep!" She hissed under her breath as she gripped it tighter when she could hear the team lead calling out to the others behind him, "And, normal people don't get up at five in the morning to work out!" She was quickly stirred by the sound of someone knocking on her door. She groaned and threw the pillow to the side, "Seriously?! I'm not in the mood to work out!" She threw off the blankets, then got herself out of bed. She made her way to the door and opened it up, "Oh, Sarah, it's only you."

"The head would like to see you." Sarah replied to her. She was the complete opposite of Vera dressed in a more brightly manner, even though she was a computer geek.

"Tell him I'm dead."

"I don't believe that's an option."

"Tell him I stabbed myself."

"He's not going to believe that."

"Then tell him he's more than welcome to make himself at home here."

"He'd like to see you for breakfast."

Vera gave Sarah a dead eye stare, "Give me half an hour." She closed the door, then forced herself to get ready. As soon as she opened up the door, she saw that Sarah was still there waiting for her, "Don't you have a life?"

"Have to make sure you didn't fall back asleep." Sarah lead Vera away from the house and towards the outdoor picnic area.

"Normal people don't get up this early. Normal people sleep in."

"Yes, but normal people also go to bed early. And, come back from concerts when they're told to."

Vera glared at her as she hissed under her breath, "I'm a big girl! I think I can handle myself."

"While that is true, the Templars have been expanding their forces. Who knows when you might run into one. Anyone you meet could be an agent of theirs."

"And…how exactly would they be able to know that I'm part of the Brotherhood?"

"We could start with that tattoo on your upper arm."

"You do know that I don't wear tank tops, so it'd be impossible for them to know about that."

Sarah sighed a little as they approached a picnic table that was underneath the shade of a nearby tree.

Sitting under the tree was a man, who appeared to be in his fifties, dressed in a nice suit. He was in the middle of eating his breakfast as he saw them approaching. He held out his hand to offer them a seat across from him.

"Lovely morning, isn't it?" He asked while watching Vera take a seat with Sarah standing behind her.

"Forgive me for not leaping with joy. I'm not a morning person, you know." Vera said flatly while looking across the table at him.

"Perhaps one shouldn't stay out too late at night."

Vera just gave him a blank stare, "Lucas, you know my situation and my beef with the morning…and early afternoon."

"I'm highly aware of that, but you shouldn't stay out late. Meaning, outside of these walls. The Templars are growing in numbers. They're becoming stronger and smarter. We need to stay one step ahead of them, and stay clear of them or our numbers will decline."

"While I get what you mean, how would they know who's part of the Brotherhood and who's not?"

"They have ways of finding these things out. We must stay on our toes at all times, which is why I've called you here this morning." Lucas pushed a file, that was placed next to him, over towards Vera, "These are the records from your time in the animus."

"You mean that thing that drains the life out of me?" Vera replied as she looked at the file and opened it up.

"It doesn't drain the life out of you. It helps you to connect with your ancestors of the Brotherhood."

"My mistake…it drains the life out of my brain." Vera looked at the papers, "So, what do you have planned for me?"

"The medallion that belonged to your ancestors that's been missing for generations. We believe, according to the documents before you, that it ended up somewhere in New Orleans."

Vera looked up at him, "What would make you think that?"

"When your ancestors moved to America, they settled in New Orleans. It's possible that it's there. The question is, where could it be?"

"Well, the last time you put me in the animus, my ancestor was killed and that's where this stopped. But, I'll take your word for it." Vera closed up the file and pushed it back to him, "What do you want me to do?"

"I already have a flight scheduled for you to leave today." Lucas moved the file to the side, "I want you to go down, by yourself, to get that medallion back. You know all about it and know of its powers. Who knows what'll happen if the Templars get their hands on it."

"How long do I have?"

"However long it takes. But, as soon as you get it, get back here ASAP. And, keep a sharp eye out while you're there. You never know who might be watching. But, there will be fellow brothers down there to assist you, if you should need it."

"Alright. I'll pack and head out." Vera rose from her seat.

"I'll have Sarah bring your flight and hotel information to you in a little while. Until then, have a safe trip. And, don't stay out too late."

"Lucas, you know me well enough to know that it's easier for me to finish a job when it's dark out. Daylight will only get you caught."

"Of course." Lucas waved her off, "Just beware of the Templars."

"I know." Vera quickly strolled off before the conversation could continue any farther.

Several hours flew by as Vera found herself standing outside of the hotel in New Orleans. She looked at it for several moments before heading inside to check in. Upon receiving her room key, she headed off down the hall and to the last door on the left hand side. She opened up the door to see that the room was smaller than her living quarters back home. She shrugged it off, then locked herself into the room before unpacking. She reached into her duffle bag and pulled out a box of laundry detergent. After opening the box, she pulled out a zip lock bag. Inside was another zip lock bag with her bracer inside of it. She opened up the bags, then pulled out the bracer. It was black and went half way up her lower arm, when she was wearing it, with a sliver Brotherhood logo on the top. She seated herself on the bed as she stared down at it for several moments until she began to drift off.

 _"I don't know how I'm going to be able to take this with me." Vera said to Billy as she held up the bracer, "There's no way this will get through baggage claim without it being taken to security."_

 _"Not to worry. I have an idea." Billy rushed into her laundry room, then came back with the box, "Just put it in here."_

 _"Are you sure that'll work?"_

 _"Positive! That's how my relatives smuggle food from Europe over here, since it's illegal to bring food from other countries to America." Billy handed her the box._

 _Vera took the box, then measured it up to the bracer, "It'll fit. But, I'm not sticking it in there as is. It's might be ruined."_

 _"Some zip lock bags should do the trick. It'll help keep the smell off of it, as well."_

 _Vera smiled a little, "Billy, you're a genius, you know that."_

 _A big smile came to Billy's face, "I know I am!"_

Vera quickly stirred when she heard a knock on the door. She found herself laying on the bed with the bracer on the floor. She quickly scooped it up and hid it inside the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. She dashed over to the door and noticed a note that had been slid under it. She leaned down and picked it up, then read it.

 _Meet me at the address below at 4pm._

 _~J.H._

Vera studied the address for several long moments before looking over at the alarm clock on her nightstand. She dashed over to her bag and quickly changed into something a bit more comfortable, which consisted of a black and red baggy sweater, a pair of black jeggings and her combat boots, grabbed her purse and headed right out the door. She used the GPS on her phone to guide her to the location.

After a 50 minute walk, she made it to a small cafe on one of the street corners. She entered to see that it was fairly busy. She grabbed herself a fruit tea, then seated herself in a leather chair next to the large window that overlooked the street. It wasn't much longer before the deliverer of the note appeared next to her. She looked up to see a man, about forty, hovering above her.

"I think you're a little late, Hawk."

"Sh! Don't use that name!" He glanced around for a moment before putting his gaze back to her, "The walls have ears."

"I'm sure you can hear better than you can see." She tapped the side of her eye, referring to the sunglasses that he always wore.

He shrugged a little, "You know what I mean."

She nodded slightly, "Now, go get yourself a drink and relax for a while." She removed her boots, then crossed her legs on the chair.

"Alright. Give me a minute." He walked off.

Vera sat back in the chair as she watched some of the people walking past the window. It was about fifteen minutes later that Hawk returned to her and seated himself in the leather chair across from her. She was able to catch his reflection in the window.

"Did it really take you that long to decide what you wanted to drink?" She turned her attention to him.

"Hey! Did you happen to see how many drink choices they had on that menu? Couldn't pick just one." He placed two cups down on the small table that rested between them.

"Right. Anyways, what do you want? I was going to spend my first day here getting some well deserved rest…that someone disturbed this morning."

Hawk laughed a little, "Did someone come in late last night from a concert?"

Vera stuck her tongue out at him, "At least Lucas didn't give me hell for it. Just sent me down here to find something. But, what are you doing here?"

"Got some 'pings' about your little 'treasure hunt', so I thought I'd fill you in on this area before I make my way to Italy to help out some fellow brothers."

"Looking for some 'treasures' as well?"

"Before the you-know-whose get to it first. Can't afford any slip-ups." Hawk picked up one of the cups, then took a sip before he continued, "Now then, while I understand that this is sole your mission, there are fellow brothers around here who can lend you a hand. But, I've heard word about a 'war' between two guides down here. The Thieves and the Assassins."

Vera raised an eye brow, "Assassins? You mean like…" She pointed to him, then her herself.

Hawk shook his head, "Nein. Not like us. These people kill whoever they want, whenever they want. They're also hired out by people who want to be rid of someone, for the right price, of course. They don't care if they get caught or not, as long as the job gets done. Between the two of us, we're the better of the two. We take care of the people who cause pain and problems to other people, they just cause problems and pain to people. Watch your back if you run into them."

"Do you know where they're at?"

Hawk pulled a map out of his jacket pocket and unfolded it on the table in front of them, "I've marked their area along with the thieves' area. The red belongs to the assassins. The blue belongs to the thieves."

"Shit…it looks like these two have got all of New Orleans in the palms of their hands. So, no matter where I go to hunt this thing down at, I'm screwed."

"Not if you use your training, and…" Hawk pointed at his forearm, "…the blade of your ancestors. I don't think you'll have much to worry about, though. You should be alright."

"Not much to worry about? You just showed me a map of the two places I could get killed at. I wasn't worried about anything until this!" Vera groaned as she sat back in her chair, "Lucas is going to kick your ass if you set foot in our camp."

Hawk laughed, "You'd pay to see that, wouldn't you?"

"I think anyone would pay to see that."

"Man, he really needs to get you all some good entrainment out there."

"Why do you think I go to concerts all the time?"

"Haha! True. But, I really didn't mean to make your hunt more stressful than it needs to be. I just thought I'd point this out to you. After all, it's hard to trust people in this world nowadays."

"So, what you're saying is, don't trust either of these people."

Hawk nodded, "Indeed. No one can help you. The only ones who can are those of the Brotherhood. If you meet one, ask for their assistance if needed. We'll keep you posted if there's any you-know-whose in the area."

"Thanks for the help."

"Anytime, young one. It's what family is for." Hawk reached into the pocket inside of his jacket and pulled out a black make up bag, "And, I figured you might need these, just in case."

Vera reached over the table and took the bag from him, "Seriously? A make up bag?"

"Hey! It was the only thing that was offered to me. Plus, everything fit in there. I'm surprised how much those little bags can hold."

Vera opened up the bag and peeked inside. She looked up at him and nodded her head slightly before zipping it back up and placing it in her purse, "Thanks. I'm sure I'll need these."

"My pleasure. Now, let us sit back, enjoy our drinks and try to forget about the world for about an hour or so. Then, off to Italy I go."

"You just rhymed there."

"I did? Perhaps I should write music, or better yet poetry!"

"Yeah…good luck with that."


	2. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 2

The night rolled along and late morning came. Vera was woken to the sound of an alarm…at least, that's what she thought it was. When she rolled over to grab her phone, she saw that it was a phone call. She sighed a little and answered it.

"Normal Gothic people sleep in until late afternoon." She replied in a tired voice.

"Yes, but normal Gothic people don't live in a place where they make you get up when the sun rises."

Vera groaned a little, "True. How's life on your half of the world, Billy?"

"It's been alright…just a little boring." Billy looked out the window of his house as he watched a group doing some exercises, "Same as usual. How's the southern half of the universe?"

"I wouldn't know because I didn't get to do much sight seeing. Trying to get my sleeping schedule back in order." She unplugged the phone, then rolled over onto her back, "Ran into Hawk yesterday."

"What the heck is he doing out there? Last I heard, he was working with a grew up here."

"Said some of our fellow brothers needed help in Italy. He just wanted to make a quick stop here before he headed out."

"Italy. What the heck do they need him out there for?"

"I didn't ask."

"So, why the stop then? I mean, it's not like you can't handle this on your own."

"He said that there are fellow brothers out here who can be of assistance to me, if I need it. And, he showed me a map of this place. Apparently, half of it belongs to Assassins and the other belongs to Thieves. Need to watch my back, apparently." Vera rolled over and stared at the closed curtains across the room, "This mission just got a lot harder."

"Assassins? Well, that should make your life easier. I don't see why you're worried."

"They're not like us, Billy. They kill for different reasons than we do. Plus, they hire themselves out to people to kill the person of their choosing, for the right price. We don't do that. We're not like that. We kill the people who were a threat to our ancestors and continue to be a threat to us."

"Crap! Well, never mind them, then. Perhaps you could get a thief to lend you a hand."

"I'd have to pay them to do that, I'm sure. Plus, I don't even know where this thing is at or who has it. I'm worried about it getting into the wrong hands. Compared to everything else in this world that's hidden from us, this has to be the most powerful. This is not a Treasure of Eden. This is something much different, made from a different kind of power."

"Sounds like you're on your own, then. Wish you luck."

"Thanks. Just hope this doesn't take too long."

"It shouldn't. I bet you'll be back here before the week is up."

"I really hope you're right."

Vera slept in a bit longer before forcing herself to get up at three in the afternoon. She cleaned up, then grabbed her purse, making sure to hide her bracer at the bottom, then headed out. She made her way into the heart of the city only to realize how busy it was. She groaned slightly as she weaved in and out of people not really sure where she was going or what she was looking for. She crossed several busy streets and passed shop after shop until she spotted a group of people gathered around watching a street performer. She allowed herself to cross the street to see what the person was doing. Of course, she was stuck in the back and couldn't see anything do to her height, so she decided to wait until the crowd cleared, which didn't take that long. She stayed in her place as the person come into view.

He was a little over six foot and wore a brown trench coat. He had a fedora on his head which covered his eyes. His brown hair went to his shoulders. He wore a black shirt, a pair of jeans with a few holes in them and a pair of black boots.

Vera slowly approached him.

When he noticed her coming, he held out a deck of cards in his hand, "Care ta pick a cahd, Cherie?" He asked in a Cajun accent.

Vera paused for a moment as she looked down at the cards spread out in his hands. She waved her hand over them for a moment before pausing on one. Slowly, she slid the card out of the deck, then pulled it out and had a look at it. Inside her month, she bit her tongue as her heart raced slightly. She slid the card back into the deck and watched as he shuffled them.

Upon finishing the shuffle, he held the deck in one hand, then placed his other hand on top, "Now, lessee what we got 'ere." He held the deck straight up, making sure the suit was facing him, then watched as a card floating out from the top of the deck.

Vera's eyes widened as the card slowly turned to face her.

"Tell me, Cherie, is this your cahd?"

Vera nodded her head slowly.

He took the card from the air and had a look at it, "Interestin'. King 'a Hearts. Not many people pull this one. Ya got yourself a beau?"

"Yes, but he lives far away."

"How far?"

"In another county."

He nodded slightly while placing the card back into the deck before putting the cards inside his coat pocket, "I ain't a fortune teller, but da cahds dat get pulled come from da heart. Seems ta me that ya think 'bout him a lot."

"I do, but I have friends to keep me entertained."

He nodded, "Da name's Remy."

"Vera. It's a pleasure."

"Isn't dat da name 'a a clothin' line?"

"It is, but it's not my style, sad to say. But, whatever. It is what it is."

Remy nodded his head again, "Got any plans?"

"Nope. Just flew in yesterday. Spent most of my time sleeping."

"What?! Ya haven't gone explorin' yet?!"

"I'm more of a late afternoon, evening, night person." Vera replied to him, "Sadly, there's not a lot of stuff to do around that time."

"Well, if you're hungry, I can take ya to a nice place near by." Remy pointed down the street, "Just 'bout two blocks or so away. Dere's some nice shops along the way."

"I haven't eaten much today. I'll take up your offer." Vera walked next to Remy as she had a look around, "It's really crowded right now."

"Tis always crowded down 'ere. No matter what time 'a day it is, dere's always a crowded street somewhere."

"I'll try and avoid those places."

"Ain't much 'a a city girl, are ya?"

"Nope. Where I live, it's kind of in the middle of nowhere…well, there is a town near by, but it's not freaky busy. I can deal with that. I just don't do good with crowds. Anxiety issues."

"Ya seem fine right now."

"Believe me, I'm trying to ignore it. I mean, I like to go to concerts, but I'm always there early and get front row, if I can, so I can forget that there's a large group of people behind me."

"Makes sense." Remy paused next to a small restaurant, "'ere we are." He opened up the door for her and allowed her to enter first. He followed after her.

"Thank you." Vera replied to him as they walked up to the hostess.

"Two for this evening?" The hostess asked as she grabbed two menus.

"Yes." Remy replied, then followed her and Vera to a table near the back of the room. Before Vera could seat herself, he walked up behind her and pulled the chair out for her, "I have ta be a gentleman, don't I?"

Vera looked back at him for a moment before seating herself, "If you'd like to be." She placed her purse on the table next to her and opened up the menu once it was placed in front of her.

"I try ta be." Remy walked to the other side and seated himself across from her.

"Your waiter will be with your shortly." The hostess said before walking off.

"Oh geez! Everything looks so good! Just not the spicy stuff." Vera stuck her tongue out a little, "I'm not a fan of hot or spicy."

"Figured ya wouldn't like a Cajun styled place, so I picked a place dat has a little 'a everythin'." Remy replied as he opened up his menu to have a look, "Thinkin' 'bout getting some spicy chicken."

Vera shivered a little, "I don't get how you all can hold that stuff down."

"Strong stomach, Cheire, an' strong taste buds."

"Good evening. I'm Jensen and I'll be your waiter for this evening. Can I start you two off with something to drink?" He asked as he pulled out his book.

Before Vera had a chance to speak, Remy replied, "We'll share a bottle 'a your best sparkling grape juice."

Vera's eyes widened slightly. The last time she had some sparkling grape juice was on New Years. She could already taste it in her month and hoped that it would appear at their table very soon. And, she had a feeling the bottle wouldn't last long because she planed to drink it all. But, she knew that she had to be nice and share with Remy.

"Of course. I'll get that for you right away. Do you still need time to look over the menu?" Jensen asked.

"I do." Vera raised her hand a little as she kept her eyes fixed to the menu.

"Of course. Be back shortly." Jensen walked off.

Remy closed up his menu and pushed it to the side, "I hope ya don't mind me orderin' da drinks."

"No, it's quite alright. I never would have thought about having grape juice for dinner." Vera replied as she flipped the page, "I haven't had any since New Years. This is going to be a real treat."

"Don't day sell dis stuff in stores where ya live?"

"They do, but I ignore it. I can drink a whole bottle in one day. Probably not a good thing to have every single day of the week."

"True, dat wouldn't be good." Remy saw Jensen come back with the bottle and two wine glasses, "Gettin' fancy on us, ain't ya?"

"Only the best." Jensen placed the glasses down, then poured some in each of their glasses before placing the bottle on the table, "You are free to help yourselves. Now, are you ready to order?"

Vera looked up at Jensen and nodded, "I'll have a chicken parmesan." She closed up the menu and placed it on top of the other.

"An' I'll have da Cajun chicken with fries." Remy replied.

"How much 'kick' do you want on the chicken?" Jensen asked as he wrote it down.

"Put da sauce on da side."

"Of course. I'll put these in right away." Jensen picked up the menus, then walked off.

Vera watched him for a moment, then looked across the table at Remy, "He has the same name as the actor who plays Dean in Supernatural."

"I take it dat's a TV show." Remy removed his fedora and placed it on the table next to him before picking up his glass and having a sip.

Vera felt her face flush when she got a glimpse of his eyes, "Yes, it is. I watch it all the time, but, sometimes, I have to DVR it when I'm busy the day a new episode airs."

"It sounds interestin'."

"It really is and it's worth watching. Dean and his brother, Sam, are hunters. They have an angel friend named Castiel who helped them out."

"Guess I'll have ta check it out." Remy noticed a bit of a tattoo sticking out of the bottom of her sleeve, "What kind 'a ink ya got there?"

Vera rolled up her sleeve slightly and showed him the tattoo on her wrist, "It's the anti possession symbol that Dean and Sam have on their chests. It's suppose to protect them from the evil creatures they hunt."

Remy took her hand, then pulled it over to him to have a look, "Interestin'."

"They have a lot of hexes that they use against these creatures. I have the Devil's Trap on my other arm." She rolled her sleeve a little way up above her elbow, "This is the Mark of Cain. Dean has this one. And, I have the Angel's Banishing Sigil on my right ankle and the Angel Ward on my left."

Remy whistled a little as he observed the two tattoos, "Talk 'bout being a hard core fan."

"You should see my back. I have Castiel's wings, but they're not filled in. It's just the outline." Vera rolled her sleeve down, "Oh, and I have this one." She pulled the collar of her shirt down slightly, "You can't see the whole thing, but it's the Aquarian Star."

"Gees! How many 'a dese things da ya have?"

Vera sat back as she thought for a moment, "I'm not really sure. I've lost count over the years." She pointed to her upper right arm, "I have one here. One on the back of my neck. One on my upper left arm. One on my side. A few on my legs…yep. I don't know any more."

"How can ya sit through all of dat?"

"Just go once or twice a year and pop a Benadryl. I'm pretty much passed out while they do them. I'm not a huge fan of pain. I lived through the piercings, but not my first tattoo. Don't worry, though. A friend of mine always comes with, so I don't have to drive home half tired."

"You're one brave, but crazy, girl, Cherie."

"What can I say? I love my ink." She noticed that he was looking at her eyes, which caused her to flush slightly.

"I've been meaning ta ask ya. Where did ya get your contacts at?"

"My contacts?" Vera tilted her head slightly.

"Yeah. Dey're red."

"Oh! Those contacts!" Vera hit herself on the head slightly, "I forgot I put those on before I left this afternoon. Ugh! It's becoming a bad habit." She grabbed her purse and stood up, "If you'll excuse me. I better take them out before I forget about them later." She walked off.

Once she was out of sight, she dashed into the bathroom and went straight into the first empty stall and locked herself in. She seated herself on the toilet, then reached into her bag and pulled out the make up case Hawk had given her the day before. She unzipped it, reached inside and pulled out a smile vial with a deep red liquid inside. She popped the corked, then drank the liquid inside. Allowing herself a few minutes, she placed the empty bottle back into the bag and zipped it back up. She fished around her bag until she found a compact mirror. She looked at her reflection in her mirror and saw that her eyes were back to normal. She let out a sigh of relief, then placed the mirror back. She stood up, then headed out of the bathroom.

As soon as she returned to the table, she saw that Jensen had brought their food and Remy was already placing the sauce on his chicken. She seated herself and placed her purse back on the table.

"Thank you for catching that. I have such a horrible memory sometimes and forget that I've put them on." She took a quick sip of her drink before helping herself to her food.

"Tis not a problem, Cherie. Day are purdy, though. Where did ya get dem?"

"From a cosplay website." Vera glanced up when she saw he was giving her a strange look, "Cosplay is when you dress up like a character from a movie, TV series or book series." When she saw him nod his head in understanding, she continued, "Anyways, that's where I got them from. They're not prescription, which is good for those of us who don't wear glasses."

"Might have ta get me a pair." Remy began to eat his chicken.

"They have different colors and some even say what anime they're from." Vera ate a little, then looked back at him for a moment as she grabbed her glass, "Are you sure you can handle that? Your face is red."

"Cherie, I eat dis stuff all da time! Don't worry 'bout me."

"Ok…" Vera drank some more of her drink. She filled her glass up a bit more before going back to her meal.

Remy lead Vera out of the restaurant and back down the street. He used the sleeve of his trench coat to dab some sweat away from his face. which was still a little red from the hot sauce.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Vera questioned him as she looked at the shops along their new route.

"Give it a few moments an' I will be." Remy replied to her as he moved his arm away from his forehead.

"If you need to stop and get water, I don't mind."

"Nah! Tis cool. I'll be fine."

"Well, I do thank you for paying for dinner and for inviting me as well."

"Tis no problem, Cherie. I don't mind treatin' people every so often. If ya see a place ya want ta stop in, let me know."

"As badly as I want ice cream, I should probably wait. My head says 'yes', but my stomach says 'no'."

"We can get some later on. Dere's a great place several blocks from here."

"I'm guessing you've lived here all your life, since you know where all the good places are."

Remy nodded, "I was born 'ere."

"Have you ever traveled?"

"I do from time ta time, but I always find ma way back 'ere. Tis ma home. Ma heart belongs 'ere in Nawleans."

"Nothing wrong with that. As long as you always have a place to go back to, then you'll always have a home."

"Dat is true, Cherie. Very true." Remy turned his hand when he noticed that she had placed her finger tips above her left eye, "Ya alright?"

"Slight twitch. What's the weather suppose to be like tonight?"

Remy shrugged his shoulders, "I don't pay attention ta dat stuff. Why?"

"I always get a headache when a storm system is coming in." Vera quickly pulled out her phone and had a look at the weather, "An hour before a storm comes through…or just rain to start with."

Remy peeked over her shoulder to have a look, "We should think 'bout gettin' ya back. Where's your place?"

"Across the river close to the bridge. That nice hotel."

"We ain't gonna make it there in time. Even on a water taxi." Remy looked around for a moment, then took her hand, "Follow me."

Vera just had enough time to place her phone into her purse before she was tugged away, "Where are we headed?"

"Ma place. Tis a bit closer dan da hotel." Remy guided her down several alleyways through the heart of the city. After twenty minutes, the beautiful colors of the city quickly turned dark and dole. This part of the city looked to be abandon.

Vera glanced around as she began to feel a bit unease, as if something were waiting inside one of the abandon building to attack them. She placed her free hand in her purse and touched the bracer with her finger tips, "What is this place?"

"An older part 'a da city." Remy replied as he walked past several buildings before stopping in front of an old restaurant, "Sad part is, no one wants ta fix it up, which is a real shame."

"I don't mind spooky, but this place is beyond spooky."

"You're not da only one who feels dis way." Remy released her hand, then proceeded to open up the door. He allowed her to enter first before following behind her and closing the door.

"Oh my Ra." Vera whispered as she looked around the interior of the restaurant.

At the far end was a large stage with a beautiful painting of the Mississippi River with a river boat floating by behind it. The floor was made to look like a street while the second level had railings that appeared to be on the outside of the buildings in the main city. The light fixtures dawned a ray of colors. Each made from stained glass. To the left of the stage was a door and a little ways from that was a hallway leading to the kitchen and rest rooms. All the tables and chairs were still inside. Everything that was once bright and beautiful was now covered in dust.

"What happened to this place?" She asked as she made her way to the back to have a look at the painting.

"All da owners got old an' retired. People did try ta revive dese places, but da government didn't want ta put in da time ta restore da old buildin's, so day just left dem ta rot." Remy replied as he followed after her.

Vera jumped up on the stage and moved over towards the painting. She could hear the wood beneath her creaking and cracking. One board even snapped away, but she was luck to have jumped out of the way. She looked up at the painting to see that it was losing its color and starting to chip away.

"This is just so horrible! That's why I hate governments! All they care about is making new things for this generation and not preserving the history."

"Ya ain't da only one who feels dat way." Remy made his way over to the door next to the stage and opened it up.

Vera heard the sound of the squeaky hinges, then looked over at him, "What's that?"

"Dressin' room. Tis where I stay."

"You live here?" Vera carefully made her way over to him. She jumped off the stage, fearing that the stairs leading from it would break beneath her.

"Tis a long story." Remy said as he walked her into the room. He closed the door.

Vera looked around to see a vanity on the far side of the room. A beaten up couch rested in the center of the room with a chair on either side and a wooden coffee table in front of the couch. There was no light, just small candles sitting on the vanity.

"What happened?" She asked as Remy walked over to the vanity and lit the candles.

"Family issues." Remy replied to her as he took off his jacket and threw it over towards one of the chairs.

Vera just simply nodded her head. She walked over to the coffee table and placed her purse on it before seating herself on the couch, "Understandable."

"Same with ya?"

"Not really." Vera took off her boots and put them under the table, "Other stuff."

Remy quickly changed into a muscle shirt, then walked over to the chair and seated himself, "Guess we both come from troubled backgrounds."

"I suppose." Vera glanced at her purse for a second before looking back over at him, "How long have you been here?"

"I've lost count."

"You can't be that old. You look like you're in your twenties."

"Close enough." Remy looked over at her, "What 'bout ya?"

"Do you want me to tell you, or do you want to see my driver's license?"

"Ya have a driver's license?"

"Yeah. While I enjoy walking, I do have to drive from time to time." Vera reached over and pulled her wallet out of her purse. She pulled out her license and handed it to him, "I have a motorcycle license as well."

"Geez! You're busy." Remy tilted the card around until he was able to get a good glimpse of it in the little light that they had.

"Blame my friend. He has one and got me hooked on it. He even taught me to drive it before I went to get my license. He drove me to the classes and let me use his."

"You're a lucky girl." Remy stared at the card for a little while, then handed it back to her, "Never would 'ave thought that's how old ya were."

Vera took it and placed it back into her wallet, "You're not the only one to say that." She put her wallet back into her purse, "Got the young gene from my parents."

"I'm a little jealous of ya right now."

"Don't be. You look young to me, so you can't complain."

"I'll take your word for it." Remy glanced up at the ceiling when he could hear the rain hitting the roof, "Sounds like da storm is 'ere."

"Wonderful." Vera put her feet up on the couch, then leaned against the arm rest, "I really hate storms."

"How come?"

Vera shrugged a little, "I'm not really sure myself. I guess it's the sound of the thunder that spooks me…and when the wind gets really strong. Perhaps it's the fear of a simple thunder storm turning into something much worse."

"Ya afraid ta die?"

"Is there really anyone in this world who isn't?"

"Ya got a point there." Remy stood up, "Would ya like a blanket?"

"I'd rather have that." Vera gestured towards his jacket, "If you don't mind, of course."

"Ya want ma jacket?"

"Any girl would want a guy's jacket."

"Is dat how dat works?"

"Yes, it is. I tend to 'steal' things from my boyfriend and my friend, but I do return them."

"Ya must have one lucky friend an' boyfriend who tolerate what you're doing."

"Believe me, I do. Now, will you let me barrow your jacket for the night?"

"How long are ya plannin' on stayin'?"

"Until the storm lets up, which could be sometime during the night, so it'll be a long while."

"Is da storm really suppose ta last dat long?"

"Yeah. I can show you on my phone."

"Nah. Tis cool. I'll take your word for it."

"Alright. Now…" Vera rose to her feet and made her way towards his jacket, "…mind if I…" She paused when she saw Remy grab her wrist. She looked up at him, "Really? Is that how you treat a lady?"

"Did I say ya could barrow ma jacket?" Remy asked her with a slight grin on his face.

"You wanna fight for it? I bet I could take you down in a moment."

"Do ya really think dat?"

"You'd be surprised at what I can do." Vera quickly whipped her arm around and Remy fell onto the chair, "Challenge?"

"Accepted!" Remy quickly jumped to his feet and began his attack.

Vera was able to block all of his moves. She watched him carefully as she noticed that he was allowing her to back him up towards one of the walls. Within a moment, she found herself dodging out of the way of a bo staff.

"Hey! That's not cool!" She was able to grab onto the staff when she saw it coming her way, "I'd call that cheating."

"Just usin' ma resources, Cherie. Plus, ya didn't warn me 'bout how good ya was." Remy was able to break the staff free of her grip and began his next move.

Vera quickly got on her knees and grabbed the staff. She used all her straight to flip the staff over, which caused Remy to lose his grip and fall to the ground. She jumped up on her feet, then tossed the staff to the side, "I've been trained well."

"Who trained ya?" Remy grabbed her ankle, then pulled her down the floor before quickly getting to his feet. He backed away from her.

"My little secret." She was able to use her legs to trip him, but quickly found herself stuck on the ground when she saw that he had grabbed her ankle.

"How are ya gonna get outta dis one?" Remy grinned slightly.

Vera studied him for a moment. She didn't want to bring harm to him, but knew that if she were to twist her ankle out of his grip, then it might break, which was the last thing she needed to have happen to her. She thought for a moment, then put her other foot on his shoulder and pushed down on him as hard as she could.

Remy could have sworn he felt his shoulder pop and quickly released her. Before he knew it, she was right behind him with the side of her hand against his throat. He glanced back to see her kneeling behind him.

"I think ya can barrow da jacket for da night." He replied. As soon as she released him, he put his hand on his shoulder and began to move it around. He groaned slightly.

Vera placed her head on his shoulder, "Slight dislocation. Nothing that can't be fixed." Without too much work, she was able to pop it back into place, which was less painful than a normal dislocation. She began to massage his shoulder.

Remy did feel some pain shooting through his body when his shoulder was popped back into place, but quickly felt some relief from the massage. He closed his eyes and began to lean back on her.

Vera screamed slightly when she noticed this, "Remy…what the heck are you…" She soon found herself on the floor with his head on top of her chest. She looked down at the top of his hand for a moment before placing her arms around him. She stared up at the ceiling as she listened to the falling rain and allowed that to help her to fall asleep.


	3. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 3

Close to one in the morning, Vera awoke to find herself asleep on the couch with Remy's jacket over her. She allowed her eyes to adjust to the darkness, then spotted Remy laying on the floor next to her. A sad expression played on her face when she realized that she had taken his bed…his only bed. She allowed herself to sit up, then wrapped the jacket tightly around her deciding what to do. She knew that she needed to get back to her hotel room, but she knew it would be rude to leave without telling Remy she was going. She sat there for almost an hour before coming to a decision. She grabbed a piece of paper and pen out of her purse, then wrote down the hotel address and her room number, along with a message of thanks. She left it on the table, then got to her feet. She placed the jacket over Remy, then leaned down and gave him a gentle kiss on the cheek before grabbing her purse and leaving.

Along the way, she slipped the bracer onto her arm, then pulled her sleeve down over it. She kept an eye out as she looked up and down the alleyways making sure that she wasn't being followed. Upon reaching the city limits, she paused when she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye. With a quick snap of her wrist, a blade came out of her sleeve and was pointed at the person following her, who was a spitting image of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings.

"Geez! Chill out, girl." He spoke in a light Finnish accent as he pushed the blade away.

"Eluveitie! Geez! You scared the crap outta me." Vera pulled her wrist away and flicked her wrist as the blade vanished, "And…nice outfit."

"Nice, right? Black version of the normal brotherhood outfit. Helps to blend into the darkness. We should get you one."

"Um…let me think about it, but I'll take you up on the offer, if you can get one for me. Anyways, I see you got my message. I wasn't expecting you to get out here so quickly."

Eluveitie shrugged a little, "I've been traveling around a bit. Joshua sent me out to try and locate something, but I'll put that 'on hold' for a bit. I already shot a message to my pal, Torstein, to see if him and his team could go locate it." He reached inside his vest and pulled out some papers, "Besides, I'm sure you could really use these."

Vera took the papers from him and had a look at them.

"They're sealed. Figured that would be a good way to give them to you, so you know I wasn't looking into your business."

"I'm heading back to my hotel. Care to join me?" Vera put the papers into her purse, then continued on her way.

"You asked for my help, so I'm here to give you my assistance." Eluveitie quickly followed after her.

"What I'm looking for, it might be the death of you…depending on how much it likes you."

"Is it cursed, or something?"

"My ancestors made the medallion, so it's safe to say that it could very well be."

"And…what was the purpose for them making it?"

"Let's just say religious reasons." Vera saw the river not too far away from them, then headed down to the path that ran along it.

"Well, if I can be of any help, I don't believe you're the only one who's looking for that thing."

Vera got onto the path and followed it towards the bridge in the distance, "I know that and I have known that. Any and all help I can get would be great. As soon as I get it, I'm heading back."

Eluveitie reached inside his vest and pulled out his phone, "I realize certain people with power have been trying to locate it, but I think there's someone else you should be worried about." He found a picture he was looking for, then handed it to her.

Vera took the phone and had a look. Her eyes widened as she quickly looked around to make sure they weren't being followed, "He's here?! Oh Goth! Why is he here?!"

"I thought I'd be the first to warn you." He took the phone back and placed it back into his vest, "He's after that medallion as well. Heaven knows what'll happen if he gets his hands on it before you."

"It'll kill him! It'll send him to bloody Hell! What the heck does he not get about that?!" Vera groaned angrily. Right now, she wished she had a hoodie on just so she could pull the hood right over her face.

"Doesn't it take…a year or so for that thing to kill anyone?"

Vera paused, then looked him right in the eyes, "That medallion has the power to offer immortality to those who it feels is deserving of it. If it feels you're not worthy, it'll screw with you for however long it pleases before it feels the need to take your life. But, it knows my bloodline well. The moment his hands touch that thing…he's gone. It's meant for my family and my family alone. No one else is allowed to touch that thing."

Eluveitie put his hands on her shoulders, "While I do enjoy the history lesson, I think you might want to lower your voice." He leaned down and whispered, "You never know who might be watching."

Vera took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "You're right." She backed away from him a little, "Let's keep moving." She continued on her way.

"I'll stick around for as long as you'd like me to."

"Mind if I ask you a question?"

"As long as you keep a low voice, then go for it."

"Where did you find these papers? And, why haven't I gotten them before hand?"

Eluveitie glanced around and saw the hotel across the way, "Is that were you're staying?"

"Yes."

"Wait till we get inside, then I'll explain." He followed Vera towards the bridge and onto a walking path that went underneath. He went with her into the hotel and to her room. As soon as Vera closed the door, he seated himself on the bed.

Vera walked over to the small desk that was in the room, then turned the chair around and sat down as she faced him, "Alright. Tell me what you know."

"I was in England a little while back. I was able to sneak into an underground tunnel that led to a hidden library our ancestors used. I found those in there while I was searching around. Not sure who had them last."

Vera pulled the papers out of her bag, then opened them up. One of them was a drawing of the medallion with its beautiful blood red gem surrounded by a regal rot iron design. Another was a picture of a mansion somewhere in New Orleans and the last had a drawing of a tunnel system under the city.

"How did this stuff end up in England?"

Eluveitie shrugged, "I'm not really sure myself. Didn't you have a session in the animus before you came?"

"Yes, I did…about a week ago. And, my ancestor was killed. I hate coming out of the animus in that state." Vera studied the papers, "Last I can remember, my ancestor was in Ireland." She looked at seal, "She was carrying these papers and had buried them in a box next to a castle that's suppose to be haunted. I'd like to know how they got into England. And, I can tell that they've been tampered with because this isn't the seal that was on them when she buried them. This is a different seal."

Eluveitie took the page from her, then had a look for himself, "Looks like the Brits got a hold of them. That's the royal seal, no doubt. But, it appears to be…perhaps eighty years old. The new seal has some slight changes to it."

"So, does that mean that I'm not suppose to be here? That I'm suppose to be in England right now?"

"No. These are for here." Eluveitie pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket, and handed it to her, "This was on top of it. I kept it hidden in case someone decided to steal those from me."

Vera took the paper and had a look. She looked at the map of the tunnel, "It looks like the tunnel starts somewhere in the heart of the city and runs to this mansion. But, it appears there's several exits along the way."

Eluveitie stood up and went over to her. He opened up the map of New Orleans, which was laying on the desk, and had a look He was able to line the tunnel up with the map, "Looks like the entrance is here, at this theatre. There must be a secret passage somewhere inside."

"I'm going to need a map of the theatre. I wouldn't be surprised if it's somewhere under the stage, or if there's a basement that goes under the whole theatre. But, would it be safe to enter there?"

"I would assume yes. Judging by the rest of the map, you'll be coming out of secret man holes along the city. It would be wise to go through the theatre."

"I'm more worried about when I come out into this mansion. I don't know if it's abandon or not."

"I can look into that, if you'd like. I am at your service."

"Aren't you always?" Vera moved the paper to see the route on the map and noticed another piece of paper underneath that, "What's this…?" She picked up the top paper and saw another map, "Oh boy."

Eluveitie picked up the map, then walked over to the lamp and had a look, "This is strange. This looks like it's transparent."

"What?" Vera quickly rose to her feet and dashed over to him. She looked at the map, "It looks like there's a pencil sketch underneath the ink. But, the tunnels look different."

"There's markings on the bottom one. They look like some kind of ruins. Perhaps some kind of symbols."

Vera moved the paper further under the lamp to have a closer look, "It's a mix of symbols. I see Celtic and Nordic. Some of them even look like a mix of the two. I think I've seen my ancestor draw one of those when I was in the animus."

"Perhaps this is the tunnel that will lead you to the mansion."

"How can I be sure?"

"It is possible that the ink tunnel was a way to hide the pencil tunnel, so your rivals would end up getting lost in a different tunnel system."

"I almost feel like I shouldn't be here right now. I feel like I need to be in England."

"But, didn't your ancestors arrive here in New Orleans when the city was just being built?" Eluveitie asked her as he handed the paper back to her.

"Yes. They came from Europe. But, after a few years, some of them went back to the Northern Isles while others moved up north to New York." Vera walked back over to the desk and had a seat. She looked at the map of the city.

"Then there's your answer. Perhaps one of them found the tunnel and made the map, then had it sent back with those who decided to return to Europe. There's millions of tunnels all over Europe. These maps could have been decoys to trick those who were in search of the medallion."

"I can see how that would be a possibility. But…where do I start? I don't even know where this new one would begin."

"I suggest starting with the top map and see where that leads you. Who knows, you might be lucky and find the main tunnel. The two of them could connect."

"What do you think about the ink one?"

"Either it's real, or it's just a decoy. It's up to you to find out."

Vera nodded a little and turned in her seat to face him, "I know I'm suppose to do this alone, but I might need some help. Eluveitie, I'm sending you out in search of this tunnel and the mansion. Give me any and all information you've got, but the medallion will be retrieved by me and me alone."

"It would be my honor." Eluveitie bowed to her slightly.

"And, be on the look out for you-know-who. I'd like information on him as well."

"Of course." He glanced over at the alarm clock on the nightstand, "I believe it's time for me to take my leave. I'm sure you'd like some sleep."

"One of these days, I'm going to sleep for twenty-four hours straight. I'm going to need it after this."

"And, what if the Brotherhood needs you?"

"Tell them to wake me up the next day…when I'm dead."

Eluveitie laughed slightly, "Yes, I can see you pulling something like that." He walked over to the sliding glass door and opened it up, "Until we meet again. Have a nice evening."

"Um…what are you doing?" Vera stood up.

"I think it would be better if I left this way than through the hotel lobby. After all, you never know who might be watching." He stepped out onto the small patio and jumped over the railing, "Plus, a true assassin always escapes through the window."

Vera stepped out onto the patio and leaned on the railing, "I know that. But, it is nice to use a door from time to time."

"That depends on the situation and who's chasing you." Eluveitie leaned on the railing, "Remember, a window is always you're best friend."

"True, but glass isn't."

"You're a smart one. I'll give you credit for that." Eluveitie removed his hood and cape and wrapped it around her shoulders, "I think you could make good use of this."

"But, won't you need it?"

"I have an extra one with me. Thank brother Ezio for the design idea. The first of our brotherhood. Don't ever forget that."

"I won't." Vera jumped up and sat on the railing, "Thank you for the help, and the help you will be providing me."

"Not a problem. Always glad to help you out. Let me know if you need any help getting back to New York as well."

"I will." Vera replied, then looked at him, "Can I help you?"

"Don't I get a reward for being helpful?" Eluveitie leaned on the railing as he stared up at her.

Vera grinned slightly, "How old are you again?"

He shrugged a little, "Depends. How old are you?"

"You should never question a woman's age."

"Very true, but are you really the age it says on your driver's license?"

Vera leaned down and glared into his eyes slightly, "You keep that between us, you got that?"

Eluveitie grinned slightly as he leaned a little closer to her, "Of course, Arwen."

"I swear to Goth I'm never going to get over the fact that you look like Aragorn."

"I think you mean Strider."

"When all this is said and done, we are marathoning The Lord of the Rings."

"Don't forget The Hobbit."

"Yeah, that's true. We'll start from the very beginning then."

"Works for me. Now, about my reward?"

"You get enough of them as is, but you know I love you." Vera leaned closer to him and kissed him. After a moment, she pulled away, "Now, off with you. I'd like to get some sleep."

"Thought you were a night person?"

"If I'm going to get into that theatre, I'm going to need to get myself some tickets, aren't I?"

"Would be an easy way in. Have a good night, Arwen." Eluveitie took her hand and kissed it, "Until we meet again."

"Good night, Strider." Vera watched as he released her hand and vanished into the darkness. She waited until he was completely out of sight before looking up at the night sky, "You know, it would be nice to have some more girls in the Brotherhood, even though I love him."

That evening, Vera was standing outside of the theatre wearing a black dress that went to her knees in the front and fell to her ankles in the back. The collar of the dress went half way up to her neck. There was an open part just above her chest that showed off her tattoo. The sleeves were tight on her arms. She wore black leggings and a pair of black wedged sandals. At her side was her purse and everything she needed was hidden well within. She was quickly within the theatre and headed to the second level where her seat was. She was happy to see that her seat was on the isle, which would make it easy for her to slip out.

The show moved along and half way through the first act, she quietly exited her seat and made her way towards the bathroom. Once inside, she locked herself into one of the stalls and pulled out a map of the theatre that she had gotten at the front door. She studied it and noticed that there was a secret door near the main exit on the first floor. She placed the map back into her purse and headed out. Making sure there were no ushers watching, she ran her hand along the wall until she felt something move slightly. She leaned closely and heard a sound.

"Who dares to enter?" It hissed in a low Celtic voice.

"Vera of the Order of Assassins." She whispered back in Celtic, "Heir to the Dubhthach line."

"Enter, Ms. Dubhthach." The wall moved slightly and allowed her to pass before closing tightly behind her.

Vera saw torches lighting the way down a concrete staircase. She placed her bracer on her arm, then followed the stairs down to the tunnel. As she walked, torches lit up the tunnel every few feet. She noticed a few Celtic ruins carved into the concrete walls, but they were nothing like the ones she saw on the map. These were different. She closed her eyes as she listened to mysterious voices speaking around her. She knew she was alone and assumed these were voices of her ancestors who had traveled this tunnel before her.

"Where does this tunnel lead?" She said in Celtic to the voices around her.

"It is not known." One whispered.

"Only you can find out." Another whispered.

"Don't turn back." One whispered.

"Am I in the main tunnel?" She questioned.

"There are lots of tunnels." Another whispered.

"Many tunnels." One whispered.

"Keep looking. You'll find it." Another whispered.

"Which leads to the mansion where the medallion's at?" She asked.

"You must find your way. It is in your blood. You will find it. Hurry along now." One whispered.

Vera opened up her eyes when she thought she heard the sound of footsteps from behind her. She paused for a moment and listened. The sound stopped. She waited a moment before continuing on her way. Once she heard the sound again, she stopped and glanced over her shoulder to see a shadowy figure in the distance. She moved her arm up to her chest and flicked her wrist a little as the blade came out. She kept moving to see what would happen. As the footsteps got closer and closer, she quickly spun around and found her blade smack another.

"Nice little trick you pulled there, Vera."

"Daniel."

The young man kept his arm up and his blade locked to hers. He was about the same height as Remy and had short blond hair. He was dressed in a nice suit and had his nose, eyebrow and both ears pierced. Unlike her, his bracer was hidden within the sleeve of his suit.

"Do you think it's really wise to wear that out in open?" He asked her as he lowered his blade.

"I just put it on when I got down here." Vera replied to him before backing off, allowing her blade to vanish within the bracer, "What are you doing down here?"

"Got a little bored of seeing the show, so I thought I'd take a little stroll." Daniel allowed his blade to reside into the bracer before moving past her and on down the tunnel, "It's really calming down here, you know. No one to bother you. Plus, it gets you to places faster. Don't need to worry about the people up above."

"How did you get in here?" Vera followed after him.

"The same way you did, I'm guessing. Through that secret door in the theatre."

"How did you know about that?"

Daniel paused, then turned and faced her, "All of our kind knows about these tunnels, including our fellow brothers. I take it you're just learning about this now."

"Sure, why not."

"I'll take that as a yes." Daniel turned and continued on his way, "But, we are the only ones who can hear the voices."

"And, why's that?"

Daniel pointed at one of the marks on the walls, "Connections to Ireland and Scotland. The places where they were buried. Each of these marks is engraved on their headstones back in the isles. Through that, they're able to communicate with us from a long distance. Think of it as a cell phone, if you will."

Vera walked up to one of the ruins and placed a hand on it gently. She felt something touch her wrist. She saw the hand of an elderly woman holding onto it. Within moments, the hand vanished and she stepped away from the wall.

"I don't know if this is cool…or all sorts of freaky."

"They are our ancestors. I would be careful with how you speak around them."

"My apologies." She replied in Celtic before following after Daniel again, "Where does this tunnel go?"

"Do you really want to walk the whole way? It'll take at least two hours. Can your feet handle that?"

Vera glared at him, "I could kick your ass in these if I wanted to."

Daniel turned, "Is that a challenge?"

"Would you like it to be?" Vera was about to remove her purse when she noticed him grabbing her wrist to stop her. She looked up at him, "What? Are you scared to get your ass kicked by a girl in wedges?"

Daniel leaned close to her and looked into her eyes, "I see hunger within you. Your eyes are a deep red. Are you ignoring your other side?"

"I'm fine." Vera pulled away from him, then turned her back as she reached into her purse, "Just a little something and I'll be good."

Daniel quickly moved her hand away, "You can't live on that stuff forever, you know."

"Look. The only people I kill are the people who are enemies to us, the Templars. And, their servants who know too much."

"If you would learn to control yourself, then you won't kill anyone." Daniel turned her around to face him, "You can feed without killing someone, you know."

"I realize that, but not everyone knows of my true side, and for a good reason. A few of those in the Brotherhood don't trust our kind anymore."

"Then keep your secret and go to town and take care of your hunger. No one will know it was you."

"Do you realize how many people know that I stay out late? It would be obvious."

"Then do yourself a favor and move around. You can't stay at that place forever. What would happen if the Templars caught up to you all? You're going to have to move. By moving, you're staying one step ahead of them. We need to be one step ahead."

"They are the least of my worries right now. I've got other stuff to worry about. If you don't leave me alone, then I'll be sure to knock you down on your ass!" Vera hissed angrily as the red in her eyes deepened with the anger rushing through her body.

Daniel grinned slightly as he reached up for his earring, "I'm sure you would." Upon removing it, he transformed into his other side, his vampire side. His eyes glowed red as fangs grew out of his mouth. His hair turned a deep blond and went down to his shoulders. His ears pointed back as his skin went pale. He poked his tongue on his fang, "I'm sure you would indeed."

Vera could smell the blood, but quickly walked past him, "I don't have time for you right now."

"So, what are you going to do? Drink up those vials and hope that they'll last you till this is over?"

"If it gets me away from you, then yes."

Daniel rolled his sleeve up and bit his wrist slightly, "What are you so afraid of?"

"Nothing! I'm only doing this for the sake of the Brotherhood. I have their trust and I want to keep it."

"Well, if it helps," Daniel turned towards her and held out his wrist as the blood slowly dripped to the floor below, "I'll keep my mouth shut."

Vera turned her head slightly when she could smell his blood. She bit her tongue a little, then reached up and removed the white gold earring. Within moments she had changed into her true side, her vampire side. Her eyes beat a fiery red while her fangs grew out and her ears pointed back. Her skin paled and her hair grew half way down her back. She looked like a true vampire princess. She stared at him for a moment, then walked towards him.

Daniel waited till she was close enough before picking her up and seating himself against the wall. He held up his wrist to her.

Before Vera could bite down on it, she heard him speak.

"Don't I get some of your blood in turn?" He questioned her.

"Do you want to drink ink?"

"I highly doubt the ink is still in your system."

Vera rolled up her sleeve and bit her wrist gently, "If you ruin my ink, I'll ruin your face."

"Like I've ever ruined your ink before." Daniel took her wrist in his hand, then bit down.

Vera leaned back on him as she took his wrist and began to drink his blood.

At least ten minutes passed by and Vera began to feel a bit lightheaded. While her hunger had been satisfied, losing some blood wasn't helping her system. Once Daniel released her wrist, she held it close to her chest before passing out on him.

Daniel held onto her, so she wouldn't slid down onto the cold concrete floor. He looked down at her for a moment before leaning back and staring at the ceiling while listening to the voices around them.

"You know, this wouldn't happen if you'd just listen to your true side." He whispered, "And, tell me, when will you allow me to drink from your neck?"


	4. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 4

Vera awake two hours later as she groaned slightly. Her head was throbbing and everything around her looked like a blur. Instead of being in Daniel's arms, she was laying on the ground. Quickly, she went through her purse, but nothing was missing. Everything was still there. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she turned to see a small vial of blood laying next to her attached to a fake rose. She picked it up and placed it into her purse. Slowly rising to her feet, she made her way down the tunnel, using the wall as an aid to help her along.

After thirty minutes of walking, she saw a ladder leading up to one of the hidden man holes above ground. She grabbed the ladder and made her way up. Carefully, she pushed it up and had a peek out into the darkness. When all was clear, she climbed out and replaced the cover. Upon standing up, she noticed that she was in the abandon part of the city.

"What the…?" She whispered to herself as she moved through the street, "How did I end up here?" She groaned a little and placed her hand on her head, "Remy should be close by. I'm sure he won't mind if I stick around for the night…because there's no way in heck I'm going to make it back to the hotel at this rate."

She was able to find the restaurant and slipped inside. Even though it was old and worn down, she was still in awe by the lovely architecture and faded colors that filled the building. It was hard to believe that something this beautiful had become a thing of the past. In more ways than one, it pained her. Moving through the maze of tables, she walked up to the dressing room door and tapped on it gently.

"Remy, are you here?" She whispered, then opened up the door slightly to see that it was empty.

She allowed herself to go inside and closed the door behind her. She looked across the way at the mirror to see that she had no reflection. Upon reaching the vanity, she placed her purse down and rummaged through it. It took awhile, but she was able to find her earring and quickly put it back on. In the mirror, she watched as she transformed into her human self.

"I wish I could see what I really look like." She whispered, then looked down at her wrist to see that the tattoo covered the two hole marks on the bottom of her wrist, but not on the top. She quickly looked around and saw a pile of Remy's clothes up against the wall. She dashed towards it and was lucky enough to find a very large long sleeved shirt. She quickly changed into that. She looked down for a moment to see that it went down to her knees. She nodded her head in approval, then grabbed a blanket and headed towards the table. She made herself comfortable on the couch before passing out from exhaustion and from still being light headed.

Remy walked up to the restaurant at about two in the morning. He had just come from playing poker at a local casino and his pockets were full of cash. Upon reaching the front door, he saw that it hadn't been fully closed. Staring at it for a few moments, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out three cards before entering. Nothing had been moved from within. Slowly, he went up to the dressing room door and gripped the knob tightly. The hinges squeaked loudly as he dashed in, cards at the ready, but he quickly stopped when he saw Vera fast asleep on the couch. He was able to control his heart rate as he put the cards back and closed the door behind him. He walked over to the vanity and saw her purse and dress on the table.

After hiding his money in a secret spot under a loose floorboard, he changed into a dirty shirt and walked over to the couch in just the shirt and boxers. He leaned over the couch to see her legs sticking out from under the blanket. He was able to see one of the tattoos on her ankle and caught a glance at one just above her knee. Curiously, he pulled up the blanket slightly to see a large dream catcher on the side of her leg between her pelvis and knee. It wasn't black like her other tattoos. This one was a nice brown color. It looked like it was a henna. He stared at it in awe. The detail was unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He was so transfixed by the ink that he didn't notice Vera awaking from her sleep.

Vera groaned a little. Her head still hurt, but felt better than it had when she arrived. She turned her head slightly to see Remy staring down at her leg.

"Why are you looking at my tattoo?" She whispered.

Remy quickly snapped back to reality when he heard her voice. He looked down at her, "Tis really purdy, Cherie. Ain't never seen art work like dis a'fore."

Vera slowly sat herself up, "My friend drew it for me. It started out as a henna…now it's a tattoo. I got it inked over once the dye started to fade. Guess I have dye and ink in my body because of it."

"Do ya have any others dat look like dis?"

Vera turned her back towards him and lifted up the hair on the back of her head, "This one."

Remy looked to see a beautiful snowflake on the back of her neck. While it was a light blue, the design was the same as the dream catcher; henna. He reached up and touched it lightly. It was very realistic. He thought there would be some kind of texture to it.

A slight shiver went down Vera's spin when she felt his hand on her neck, "My friend designed that one as well."

"Might have ta ask your friend ta make me a tattoo."

"He's really good at drawing." Vera released her hair, "He wants to make comic books and design story boards for cartoon movies."

"He's got talent, I'll give him dat."

"He does."

"Did he do any others?"

Vera lifted up the back of the shirt to show him the wings on her back, "He drew Castiel's wings."

Remy was in awe, "How long did dat take?"

"Don't ask." Vera pulled the shirt back down, "Not even one Benadryl would keep me out long enough. Had half of my back done in one day and the other half done in another."

"Ya really like dat TV show, don't ya?"

"Very much so."

"Wha' 'bout da one on your side?"

Vera turned her head slightly to her left, then placed her hand at the bottom of her rib cage, "It's the Evenstar from The Lord of the Rings. My boyfriend has Aragorn's sword on his back, along with the writing on The One Ring on his side. We're fans of the movies."

"I take it ya was drugged durin' dat."

"Pretty much, but at least he didn't need to be drugged, so he drove home while I slept...didn't wake up for about almost ten hours after that." Vera laid back down on the couch as she began to massage her forehead.

"Ya ok, Cherie?"

Vera shook her head, "Headache."

"Sadly, I don't 'ave anythin' for ya ta take."

"Don't worry about it. All I need is sleep. I'll be alright."

"Ya can stay as long as ya like."

"Thank you." Vera whispered before passing out again.

Remy watched her for a moment, then went to get his jacket. He placed it over her before grabbing another blanket and making himself as comfortable as possible on the floor in front of the couch. His mind kept him awake for about thirty minutes before he was able to fall asleep.

Later that morning, Vera sat out on the stage and stared at the painting before her. Just seeing the water made her feel peaceful and calm. She could see a few rays of sunlight coming in through a few holes in the roof and watched as they hit the painting, almost bringing it to life. She reached out her hand and tried to dust off the dirt that had gathered on it, only to find that the paint was starting to chip. She quickly pulled her hand away and sighed a little. She laid back on the stage and looked up at the colorful light fixtures. The rays of light hit them causing an aurora of colored lights to shine down onto the floor.

"It's so beautiful." She whispered to herself as she kept staring at the colored lights, "Very beautiful."

She raised her arm up and had a look at her wrist. The marks on the top had faded and were starting to blend in with her skin. She allowed the back of her hand to fall across her eyes.

'Why do I even put up with him?' She thought to herself as she heard the door opening up. She turned her head to the side to see Remy exiting the dressing room.

"Not a fan 'a da mornin' sun?" He asked her as he went over to her and sat down on the stage.

"Still trying to wake up." Vera pushed herself up and seated herself next to him, "Mornings aren't my thing."

"Think it's late mornin' now."

"Mornings are for normal people. We 'strange' people like to sleep in until late afternoon."

"So, how come ya ain't asleep?"

"Because my body's confused, that's why."

Remy nodded his head slightly, "I went ta see ya last night, but ya were gone."

"I went to see a play. I stopped here on my way back because I didn't feel like walking all the way back to the hotel. Didn't feel like taking a cab either."

"Wish I would have known. Ya could have came with me ta da casino an' watched me kick some ass."

"Is that how you make a living?"

"I play poker. I'm very good at it."

"Then, I'll be sure to never play against you…even though I don't know how to play." Vera stretched her legs out.

Remy took notice to another tattoo on her other leg just above her knee.

Vera watched him, "That's Zero from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Tim Burton is a great director and makes such amazing movies."

"Tis a ghost."

"A ghost dog, but he's really cute. Kind of wish he was real."

"Do ya 'ave anymore?"

Vera stretched out her right leg, the same one the dream catcher was on, and turned it slightly to show off a tattoo on the back of her lower leg. It was a tribute to Fili and Kili from The Hobbit with Kili's bow and arrow and Fili's swords crossing in the background.

"The Hobbit." She said, "Great movies, but the book was wonderful as well, just like The Lord of the Rings. I read the books before I went to see the movies."

"Got enough ink on your body?"

Vera shook her head, "Still want more…just need to decide what and where I want it."

"Don't go fillin' up all your skin, now. Keep some 'a your natural beauty."

Vera blushed slightly, "I will." She scooted to the end of the stage, then jumped off, "Well, I don't think we should sit around here all day. Why don't we go out for awhile?"

"Perhaps some food tis in order." Remy replied before jumping off the stage and landing next to her.

"Food is always in order with me. But, I would like to make a quick trip to the hotel and clean up slightly."

Vera stepped into her room and quickly went over to her bag. She fished around for some clothes until she found a long sleeved black dress, that went to her knees, and a pair of fishnets. She grabbed her combat boots, then hurried over to the bathroom as Remy made himself at home. Upon closing the door, she spotted a note sticking to the mirror. She grabbed it and had a look.

 _11:00pm Meet me at the following location._

 _~Aragorn_

She viewed the address, then stuck the note on the make up bag, then quickly got herself changed. She clipped her bangs back with a The Nightmare Before Christmas hair clip, then washed her face off before exiting the bathroom.

"Alright, I'm good." She said to him as she walked towards the door.

"Wow. Dat didn't take long." Remy quickly jumped to his feet and followed after her.

"I try not to take forever. There's no point in making people wait for you." Vera replied as she opened up the door, "Now, where are we heading for lunch?"

"Just follow me. I'm sure you'll love it."

"Not really my style." Vera hollered to Remy over the sound of the music playing through the casino, "And, I don't feel like playing any games right now."

"We ain't 'ere ta play. We're 'ere ta eat." Remy lead Vera through the casino and over towards a set of doors that lead to one of the dinning areas. He pushed open the double doors and entered the lounge styled restaurant. He walked up to one of the tables and seated himself.

Vera was relieved to be out of the casino and into a more calmer area. While she was use to loud music at a concert, she wasn't a big fan of the music that was being played in the casino. And, to top it off, the casino wasn't really her number one place to hang out. She seated herself across from him.

"Wow. Nice cushy seats." She allowed herself to bounce up and down a little before getting herself comfortable.

"One 'a ma favorite places ta eat. Ya get a lot 'a food for a great price." He grabbed a menu that was sitting on the table and looked through it.

"Gotta admit, never thought I'd see a nice restaurant in a casino before." She grabbed another menu and had a look, "Woo…I'm impressed with the selection."

"Eat all ya want, Cherie. Tis on me."

Vera glanced up at him for a moment, "Wanna do something crazy?"

"Why did ya make me eat all dat?!" Remy groaned as the two of them walked down the street, "I feel like I'm gonna be sick!"

"Hey, you were up for it. And, it's called walking it off." Vera walked next to him as she looked around at the buildings for this was a new section of the city that she hadn't been to yet.

"I thought we was just gonna 'ave dessert! I didn't know we was gonna eat after it as well!" Remy paused and leaned against one of the buildings, "Dis sucks!"

Vera paused and stood in front of him, "Sometimes it's good to have dessert first. But, I didn't think the portion size was going to be that big."

Remy groaned as he slid down the side of the building, "I'm goin' on a diet afta dis."

"Having dessert every once in awhile isn't going to kill you." Vera grabbed his hand and helped him up, "It's nice to treat yourself. You should do it more often." She wrapped her arm around him and proceeded to walk.

"I don't remember when I last 'ad dessert…I don't even know what I had."

"Well, I'm very sure you won't forget this one."

"Believe me, Cherie, I won't."

The two of them walked for several blocks until they came to an upscale part of the city. Along the way, Vera spotted a mansion long the river. It looked just like the one in the picture she had received. As they walked past, she felt a piece of the sidewalk move beneath her. She glanced down to see the cement slab was slightly loose, which meant that the tunnel was right below them and that someone had already been here. And, she was correct for she could hear the whispers of the ancestors coming from below. She couldn't really make out what they were saying for the sound was a bit muffled, but she was yanked away rather quickly and noticed that Remy had picked up a bit of a pace.

"Remy…are you alright?" Vera asked him as she tried to keep up with him.

"Yeah…I'm alright." He replied.

Vera could tell something was wrong. She turned back and looked over at the mansion, "Do you know someone who lives there?"

Remy kept silent for a few moments before replying, "Maybe."

Vera decided to leave it at that. She was hoping that he'd tell her sooner or later, but if the medallion was inside that mansion, then there was a good chance that he might know where to locate it. She was beginning to think that he could become a trusted allie.


	5. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 5

The evening rolled along as Vera found herself in the more upbeat part of the city where all the casinos and night clubs were at. She double checked the time on her phone as she walked up to one of the clubs. The bouncer at the door stopped her, but she quickly showed him her driver's licenses and the note that was left for her. Upon entering, her eyes widened when she saw that the theme for the night was based of the movie TRON: Legacy.

"Holy Flynn." She wandered around in awe at the outfits, the lights and how the club was set up like parts of the movie. She noticed that the DJ was dressed as one of the guys from Daft Punk, who were DJs at the End of Line club in the movie.

"Oh…my…Goth! He is SO going to regret making me meet him here." She whispered to herself as she stayed close to the wall as to not be dragged onto the dance floor. She allowed herself to get lost in the music and became unaware that Eluveitie had walked up to her. She screeched when she felt his hand on her waist. She quickly turned to face him.

"Having fun?" He called over the loud music.

"You are so lucky I don't have my…" She pointed to her forearm, "…with me. And, why didn't you say tonight was TRON night?!"

"I didn't know. I just thought this would be a good place to meet up."

"I LOVED this movie! Where's Sam?! I must meet Flynn's son!"

"Chill out." Eluveitie put his hands on her shoulders, "Let's talk first, then we'll hit up the dance floor."

"Wait! Not yet! I LOVE this song! It's based off the club in the movie, End of Line. Wait till it's over."

"Um…no. Come on." Eluveitie grabbed her arm and took her off towards the back of the building. He approached a bouncer, "I have reservations for a private room." He showed him a card.

The bouncer looked it over, then allowed them to pass by.

Vera followed after Eluveitie down a small hallway that only had five doors. The music was still loud, but slightly muffled. It wasn't until they entered the small room that it became completely muffled. She seated herself in one of the two chairs that were placed in the room.

"You ruined my moment." She replied to him before placing her purse on the floor right by her feet, "Anyway, I'm sure you've got some information for me."

Eluveitie seated himself in the chair next to her, "Some very important information." He pulled out some papers and handed them to her, "I was able to connect some of the underground tunnels together. That should help you find the mansion from below."

Vera took them, then opened them up and studied them, "None of these connect to the one that connects to the theatre, do they?"

"I didn't go that way. I went to a tunnel system under a cathedral. That one led to these others, and to the mansion."

"Where you there? At the mansion?"

"Why?"

"I was out walking around this afternoon and felt a loose cement slab on the ground right near a mansion. I hope that was you."

Eluveitie paused as he felt his heart speed up a little, "You ran into him, didn't you?"

Vera pulled up her sleeve and showed him the top of her wrist where the bite marks had almost completely disappeared into her skin, "I would rather it have been you who was there. At least keep us one step ahead of him."

"He knows it's there, doesn't he?"

"I'm hoping not. But, why else would he be here?"

"I don't get what he wants that for. He's a vampire. He's going to live forever. He doesn't need a medallion to keep him alive."

"That thing can kill a vampire, if it sees it unworthy. But, I fear what he'll do with it if he gets his hands on it."

"We can only assume that he's not after it. That he could be here for another reason."

Vera nodded her head slightly, even though the thought of Daniel getting the medallion before her weighed heavily within, "What else do you got for me?"

"Something else you need to know before you decide to head into that mansion." Eluveitie leaned forward as he looked her dead in the eyes, "This place is broken up into two sections and each is owned by a guide; the Thieves and the Assassins. Right now, we're on thief territory. The mansion belongs to the head of their guide. It might not look guarded, but there are spies around, ready to attack invaders. The sidewalk slab that was loose when you walked over it, that's your only way into the mansion. The tunnel ends there."

"So, it would appear the thieves are our biggest rivals in this. Should have guessed."

"Wait?! You know about the guides?! Who told you?"

Vera leaned forward slightly, "You're a little late on the draw. Jonathan informed me the day I got here."

"Hawk?! What the heck was he doing out here?"

"He made a 'pit stop' before heading over to Italy to help out a fellow brother."

Eluveitie sat back, then looked up at the ceiling, "Lucky son of a bitch has a job down there! I have yet to get down there and do some work. There's where one of the secret Assassin headquarters is at…that's where Ezio's from. Did he say who he was helping out?"

"Afraid not. I think he was trying to keep a low profile, in case any Templars were around. And…" Vera reached into her purse and pulled out the make up bag. She took out one of the vials, "…he gave me a bag of these."

Eluveitie turned his head and had a look at the liquid inside, "Got to admit, he does have a good heart."

"As long as you're with the Brotherhood. Other than that…I wouldn't be too sure." Vera opened up the vial and drank it before placing it back into the bag, "Any other information I should know?"

Eluveitie shook his head, "That's as much as I can give for right now. I wish I could tell you how to get in."

"I'll figure it out." Vera put the make up bag away, then stood up, "Well, if we're done here, I say let's go enjoy the music. A club isn't my thing, but I'm really digging the work they did to set the TRON mood."

"As you wish." Eluveitie rose to his feet and took her arm, "How long do you want to stay?"

"Until I can't dance anymore." Vera allowed him to lead her out of the room and back to the main section of the club.

"That…was…awesome!" Vera said with glee as the two of them walked down the street a little after one in the morning.

"What?" Eluveitie replied as his ears rang from the loud music that had been beating all night long, "I don't understand how you can go to concerts and not have your eardrums feel like they're going to implode!"

"You get use to it." Vera replied to him as she watched him shake his head slightly, "It'll pass in a few hours. Don't worry. By the time you wake up, it should be gone."

"Should be?"

"Hey! It's been a really long time since my first concert. Like I'm suppose to remember how long that feeling lasted."

"How old are you again?" Eluveitie grinned and quickly dodged out of the way when he saw her swing her fist at him, "Alright, alright, I get it. Do us a favor and don't hurt the ranger."

"You mean king."

"No." Eluveitie quickly stood in front of her, "I am a ranger. I am no king."

"You are the heir of Isildur and you know it."

"I make a better ranger than I would a king."

"And, how do you know that?"

"Because I enjoy the life of a ranger…not so much the life of the king."

"And, what should happen if there's no one to rule Isildur?" Vera stepped closer to him and took his hand as she looked up at him, "You should return to Isildur and claim your birth right as king."

"The question is…" Eluveitie pulled a necklace out of his pocket and held it out in the palm of his hand, "…will you follow me, Arwen, or will you stay with your father in Rivendell?"

Vera looked down at the necklace to see that it was the Evenstar, the necklace that Arwen had given to Aragorn in the first The Lord of the Rings movie. But, it was the same necklace she had worn to the premiere of the last movie when she went with him and his friend, Torstein. Before him and Torstein returned back to Finland, she gave the Evenstar to him, but he would let her wear it whenever they saw each other.

She looked back at him, "I will follow you." She allowed him to place the Evenstar around her neck before replying, "But, I do wish to visit my father and the other elves in Rivendell."

"Of course." Eluveitie replied as he leaned down and kissed her forehead slightly.

Vera allowed the moment to settle in for a few moments before saying, "Great! Now I want to watch The Lord of the Rings. And, you should be keeping the Evenstar. I gave it to you."

"Keep it as a promise that when all of this is over, we can marathon the movies. You can return it to me then."

"I will keep that promise. You'll just have to come find me in New York."

"Like it's really hard to find where you live."

"Just don't hop the wall like you did last time. Don't need Lucas to sick some new trainees on you again."

Eluveitie laughed, "I think I gave them a good lesson! And, Lucas knows me well enough to know that I'll jump any wall that I please. Even the one at his place."

"You almost hurt those poor kids."

"They need to learn. Templars can appear from anywhere. Always be on the look out. And, they weren't kids. They were teenage boys. Some of them need their asses kicked these days."

"And, what would their ancestors think when they find out that you've kicked their asses?"

"They would thank me for whipping them into shape. Anyways, it's really late. I should be heading off. Need me to walk you to your hotel?"

"Nah. I'll be alright. I'm probably going to figure out how to get into that place. May need some help."

"Let me know if you do. I'll be around. Until we meet again." Eluveitie leaned down and kissed her on the cheek right by her lips, "Have a good evening."

"Same to you, Strider." Vera whispered to him, then watched as he slowly walked away and their hands released. When he was a few feet away from her, she called, "And, take care of your ears!"

Eluvetite paused and slowly turned his head. He glared at her slightly before a slight grin came to his face, "I won't be listening to music tonight."

"I figured as much." Vera replied and watched as he headed off.

She waited for a little bit before making her way back to the hotel. She knew she wasn't far from the river and would just follow that all the way back. Within minutes, the sounds of the night life faded behind her as she walked farther and farther away from the clubs and casinos and the streets around her turned dark. She continued on her way as she listened to make sure no one was following her. But, it wasn't much longer before she spotted someone out of the corner of her eye in an alleyway. She paused as she made a fist, touching her finger tips to the bottom of the bracer, which was hidden under her dress sleeve.

"Your necklace was shining off the moonlight." The person said as they stepped closer to her, "Wouldn't it be wise to hide it in your dress?"

Vera bit her tongue at the mention of that. Right now, she wished she would have tucked it in. She turned her head slightly to see Daniel standing there, leaning against the wall of one of the builds.

Daniel cocked his head to the side slightly, "I don't get why you still hang out with him."

"Because I've known him for several years, that's why. And, he's a trusted allie." Vera said to him, "Why don't you trust him?"

"I trust a slight few in the Brotherhood. I have reasons to not trust them all."

"You should trust them. They are your only allies."

"Once they find out what you are, then they start to turn their backs on you. You are really lucky that they all still trust you."

"That's because I trust them, and I keep my loyalties with the Brotherhood. Perhaps you should check your loyalties." Vera began to walk off, but was quickly grabbed by Daniel. She whipped around and put the blade to his neck, "Leave me alone, Daniel!" She hissed.

"Do you not believe that my loyalties lie with the Brotherhood?" Daniel questioned as he grabbed her wrist and moved the blade away from his neck.

"I'm starting to question that myself." Vera hissed at him.

"Tell me, what do you think would happen if you killed me? Would the Brotherhood come after you for killing one of their own?"

Vera glared at him as she tried to get her wrist free, "What do you want from me?"

Daniel leaned forward and looked into her eyes, "I think you know what I want. You've known for years."

"I wish you luck in trying to accomplish that." Vera quickly spun around and broke his grip on her wrist. She was able to knock him down with a good round house kick and quickly dashed off.

Daniel slowly sat up and rubbed the side of his shoulder. He glared at her shadowy figure as he leaped to his feet and dashed after her.

Vera ran up and down several alleyways to try and lose Daniel, but it was easy to see that he knew the city pretty well for he was catching up to her rather quickly. She knocked down anything she could find along the way to try and slow his pace, but it wasn't working. Within minutes, she felt him grab the strap on her purse and pulled her back. She felt herself being slammed up against a nearby wall.

"If you would learn the powers of your true side, you would have been able to out run me." Daniel looked into her eyes as his flashed red slightly, "Why do you fear that side so much?"

Vera coughed a little as she could feel blood in her throat. While she did jog with one of the training groups, she never fully ran. She started to feel a bit light headed do to not breathing properly while running.

"Because people hate us." She hissed at him, "People want to kill us! If we killed them, then that would put a bad name on the Brotherhood. That's not who we are! We kill Templars who threaten our way of life, and we kill government offices who stand in our way!"

"Vampires don't kill…unless we want to. You can control your hunger and how much blood you take from a person, if you would just allow yourself to live in your vampire form for just a day." Daniel reached up for her earring, but quickly had his hand slapped away. He glared at her, "Do we really have to do this the hard way?"

"I like doing things the hard way!" Vera grinned as she kneed him and waited till he was on the ground before dashing off again. It wasn't long before she found herself at the river's edge. She quickly stopped and looked around. The hotel was way in the distance and she knew that she was out of luck. There was no way that she'd reach it in time. But, more importantly, she didn't need Daniel to find out where she was staying. She turned her head when she heard him coming and dashed off in the opposite direction.

As she ran, she noticed someone standing not too far in front of her. She brought herself to a stop when she saw who it was, "Remy!"

"Get behind me, Cherie." Remy grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. He put his hand on top of a deck of cards and waited till Daniel got closer to him. His eyes turned red as he held out his arm and the cards went flying towards Daniel. The force of the cards was so powerful that it knocked Daniel into the river.

Vera's eyes widened at the magic she had seen before her. Her heart seemed to stop as she went to glance over the guard rail, but was quickly taken to the side by Remy.

"Follow me." Remy whispered to her as he quickly headed off down one of the alleyways. Within minutes, they were back at his place in the dark part of the city.


	6. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 6

When they entered the building, Vera watched as Remy closed the door and leaned against it. He slid down it as he tried to catch his breath. They had walked at a very fast pace all the way to the abandon building. He wanted to run, but wasn't sure if Vera would be able to catch up to him or not. He closed his eyes as he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Vera slowly walked up to him, "I have no idea what you did back there…but I would be SO grateful if you could teach me."

"Dere ain't nothin' ta teach, Cherie." Remy breathed as he opened up his eyes and looked at her through the darkness.

"How did you find me?" Vera asked as she kneeled in front of him.

"Was leavin' a casino an' decided ta take a walk a'fore headin' back 'ere. Saw ya being chased by dat guy."

Vera hugged him tightly, "I'm so glad you showed up! I really needed some back up…even though I know I could take care of myself."

"Tis not a problem, Cherie. Always glad ta help a woman in need." Once she released him, he looked up at her, "Did ya know dat guy?"

Vera quickly sat back as she shifted her eyes to the side, "I wish I didn't." She looked back at him, "It's a long story…a really long story."

"Do ya wanna talk 'bout it?"

Vera took a deep breath into her nose and slowly let it out, "I think it would be best if I did." She stood up, then helped him up.

Together, they walked to the dressing room and went inside. She seated herself on the couch and removed her boots while Remy lit some candles before he made himself comfortable on the chair. It took her a few moments to decide where to begin.

"Remy, I think the first thing you should know about me is that I'm with a 'group' of people. We might seem like we do bad things, but we don't. We're a Brotherhood. We fight for the people, to protect the people. There are people out there who don't like us, who are trying to kill us off. They are the Templars and they have been our rivals since the beginning. Since the Brotherhood was formed thousands of years ago."

Vera rolled up her sleeve and presented the bracer to him, the logo shinning in the candle light that lit up the room. She flicked her wrist and the blade came out at him.

"I'm part of the Order of Assassins."

Remy's eyes widened, "You're part 'a da Assassin's Guide?!"

"No, I'm not." Vera made the blade vanish into the bracer, then removed it and placed it on the table, "I never knew about the guides down here until a fellow brother told me about them when I arrived. We aren't like them. We are nothing like them. We don't kill people just for shits and kicks. We kill to protect the human race from the dangers of the Templars. Our ancestors possessed items of great power, The Treasures of Eden. Throughout our history, the Templars had tried to steal the items from us and have succeeded, but we always get them back in the end. All the items have vanished somewhere and it's up to us to find them before the Templars do. Should they succeed before us…the world could be in great danger."

"So…are ya down 'ere lookin' for one 'a dese items?"

Vera shook her head, "I'm looking for something else. Something more personal, but does have a connection to the Brotherhood."

"And, dat guy ya was with…is he lookin' for it, too? Is he one 'a ya?"

"I don't know where his loyalties lie at the moment. I've known him for a good deal of my life, and he's always had an air of mystery around him. I don't believe he's a Templar, but I don't feel he's fully a brother either."

"Why da ya say dat?"

Vera sat back slightly as she looked at the wall behind him, "Our families have a long history together…a very long history."

"A good one, or a bad one?"

"Probably leans more towards the bad one. But, before I continue, there's something else you should know." Vera reached up and removed her earring. Upon transforming, she noticed Remy had quickly moved to her side and she screeched when she saw just how close he was to her, "Um…" She waved her hand slightly, "could you move back just a little? I still have anxiety issues."

"But…you're so beautiful, Cherie!"

"Um…thank you."

"What? Don't ya know what ya look like?"

Vera turned her head towards the vanity mirror. All she could see where the candles flickering on the table and the side of Remy's face. She watched as he turned to join her.

"Oh…yeah…forgot 'bout dat."

"It's alright. At least I can see myself in my human form."

Remy looked down at the earring in her hand, "What is dat?"

"A power limiter. It keeps in a human form, so I can live like a normal human and no one will know that I'm a vampire. Sadly, I've lived in that body for so long that I forget I'm a vampire. But, it's nice to not have to worry about burning to death in the sunlight and not having to drink blood all the time."

"But, don't ya need blood to live?"

Vera pulled the make up bag out of her purse and handed it to him, "Yes, but I have these."

Remy opened up the bag and saw the vials within. He picked one up and had a look, "Is dat human blood?"

"What's beef to a human, is blood to a vampire."

It took a moment before the wheels started to turn in Remy's head. He looked up at her with wide eyes, "Ya mean…dis is…"

Vera smirked slightly as her eyes shifted to the bag, then back to him.

"Dats gross! Ya drink cow blood?!"

"It's better than drinking human blood. I use to do that…until I started killing people, which is not a good thing. Needed a substitute."

"Ya can kill people by takin' their blood?"

"Or turn them into a vampire. There is a way to take blood without killing someone…I just never figured it out. Plus, I don't need to be giving the Brotherhood a bad name."

"Do day know 'bout ya?"

Vera nodded as she took the bag from him and put it down on the floor, "Yes, they do. We have a good history with the Brotherhood, along with other creatures like us. Problem is, some of them didn't want to become apart of the Brotherhood and reek havoc that makes us look bad and lose the trust of the Brotherhood. I'm one of the lucky ones that they still trust. I think it's because of my ancestors' loyalty to the Brotherhood."

"What 'bout dat guy's family?"

"That's an iffy situation. A good portion of them stayed with us…the others didn't. That's why I think his loyalties don't fully lie with us."

"Is he like ya? A vampire."

"He is. He's a royal thorn in my side…but, he does allow me to have his blood. At least I can drink from a vampire and not kill them." Vera sighed a little, "It's just that he's become more of a pain lately than usual. I think it's because of the object I'm looking for, and because of our family relations."

"What are ya lookin' for? An', how did your family become assassins?"

Vera looked over at him as she stretched her legs out and allowed them to rest on his lap, "You better get ready because this could take awhile…a long while."

Remy gently placed his hands on her legs, "I 'ave no where ta go, so you're all good."

Vera nodded before starting, "My family is from Ireland, but we call ourselves Celtics, not Irish because we know and understand the Celtic language and symbols. They were born Celtic and will always be Celtic. The item I'm looking for is a medallion with a blood red stone and rot iron designs. The designs are Celtic. It was made from the blood of my ancestors, a token to our gods - yes, we have gods - that only those worthy enough will become immortal. Vampires have fallen to this medallion as well as humans. It does not tell you when you will die. It could be years, months, weeks, days, but it will promise the person the worst death known to man kind, and you won't see it coming."

She made herself comfortable on the couch as she continued, "But, word got around about this powerful gem and it was stolen from our family several times. Each time, the person faced a horrid death. One of my ancestors, fed up with the consent guarding of the medallion, found out about the Brotherhood and decided to seek their aid. They agreed to train my ancestors in turn for their loyalty to their Brotherhood. We agreed as well. Whoever took the medallion from then on was quickly killed by us. If they somehow succeeded in clamming it, the Brotherhood would help us track them down. In time, the Brotherhood picked up other creatures who wished to learn their skills and help take down those who did them wrong. Soon, the Brotherhood grew stronger and more fierce. Everyone feared anyone who bore the mark of the Brotherhood, and they created small groups to hunt them down. The groups combined and would become what are now known as Templars. They have managed to take the medallion, but have failed at keeping it."

"But, over time, our family started to die off and the skills that the Brotherhood had taught them were fading away as the younger vampires felt that they didn't need to learn those skills in order to be an assassin. That's where Daniel's family came into play. As our family fell, they began to rise. They offered to help us, but with a price. The first born daughter of our family must marry the first born son of their family. This was agreed up on…until, several decades down the line, our family realized that with the mixed bloods, the medallion would, also, respond to them. Over the years, we tried to break our ties with them, but nothing seemed to work. A few of our relatives even offered the medallion to different noble heirs…that failed. In the mid 1800's, it went missing and his family blamed ours for its lose. My family sailed to New Orleans and found tunnels under the city while it was being built. The tunnels would not only lead them safely through the city, but were a great hiding place from the other family. Then, our family split up in the mid 1930's. Some of them went back to Ireland while the others stayed here in the states and moved farther north to New York. Everything was fine from then on. But, what we didn't know was that their family had someone following us around, and that was Daniel. He's much older than me, obviously, and he even trained me to be an assassin when my parents wanted to head back to the isles and I wanted to stay here. Of course, my family never knew about this and I never knew about the bad blood between us. When I got older, Daniel wanted to explore the states, just wander around, but I opted to stay behind. We parted ways, but he'd always return."

"I never understood our family's history until I ran into a relative, who came to visit from the isles, and filled me in. Since then, I've always been wary of him, even though he seems to take better care of me than I do myself. But, over time, I trained hard, went on missions and became a Master Assassin. If the Templars pose a threat, then I'm the first one that gets called to duty. It was on one of those missions that I met my boyfriend. Then, one night, Daniel caught me and him hanging out and attempted to assassinate him, but I warned Daniel what would happen if he killed a few brother and he fled promising that he'd never stop following me until he gets what he wants; the medallion and my hand."

Remy stared at her as his eye twitched a little, "…what?"

"Believe me, it is confusing and weird. I'm sure I'm missing details. Guess the sessions in the animus didn't help with my memory that much." Vera replied to him as she laid back and put her forearm over her eyes.

"Animus…?"

"It's a scientific device that allows us to step into our ancestors' bodies and go through what they experienced. It's all in our minds, of course. Someone is in charge of making sure that we can handle being in that state for a certain amount of time and is keeping tabs on a computer. They send us back in time and put us into one of our ancestors' bodies and watch as we relive those moments. It comes in handy when looking for those Eden objects. But, it sucks when your ancestor is killed because your body almost goes into shock. Worst thing ever!"

"Cherie…um…'bout how old are ya?"

Vera moved her arm up and glanced at him, "I was born in 1895, if that helps at all."

"But, ya don't look it. An' da driver's licenses dat ya showed me."

"A friend was able to pull a few stings to help out on that. And, I know I don't. Vampires age slowly, which sucks because I made a lot of good friends in the Brotherhood, and I had to attend funeral after funeral for them. It sucks and really hurts. But, it's the price you pay for being immortal."

"Do ya parents know 'bout any 'a dis?"

"No." Vera sat herself up, then placed her earring back on as she changed back into her human form, "While I can't say that they fled the Brotherhood, I want to keep my loyalties with them. I live in a place where we train young assassins and have lived there for several years. Daniel won't go near the place when he comes. I have a feeling he knows that they'll catch onto him."

"Cherie, if ya really can't stand dis guy, why haven't ya killed him yet?"

Vera drew a sharp breath and stared at the dark wall as she spoke in a low voice, "Because he's watching us."

"Who's watchin' ya?"

"The Mentor." Vera glanced at him with dead eyes as she spoke, "He's in charge of all of us and is watching our every move. No one has seen him and a few have fallen at his hands. If we dare kill another brother, then we are considered enemies of the Brotherhood and will be hunted down and killed. They know of us creatures who are within the Brotherhood and know how to eliminate us should we 'step out of line'. Kill a fellow brother, you are automatically a Templar and need to be dealt with as soon as possible. No matter where you go, they will find you, and they will kill you."

"Your guide…I mean, Brotherhood, seems a bit scary."

"There's always a light and dark side to everything, right? Just so happens that we do as well."

Remy nodded slightly as he lead his head back and looked up at the ceiling as bits of light danced across it from the flickering of the candle light, "Cherie…da medallion…does it glow at all?"

"Under certain circumstances, yes, why?"

Remy paused for several long seconds before saying, "I think I saw it a'fore. I know where tis at."

"It should be in a mansion, the same one we passed yesterday morning. I know that. I got some information from a fellow brother. Getting in to get it is going to be tricky because I heard the place is guarded, even thought it doesn't look it."

"I can 'elp ya get in."

"Really? How?"

"'Cause da owner 'a dat place…is mon pere."

Vera's eyes widened as her heart sped up, "What?! You're a thief? Please tell me you didn't take that thing and please tell me you never touched it without gloves on!"

Remy put his head up and faced her, "Do ya want da long story, or da short story?"

Vera shrugged a little, "Whatever you're up to telling me, I'm down for it."

Remy nodded a little, "Well, da first thin' ya should know tis dat I…ain't really human. I'm kinda like ya, but not like ya. I'm what you'd call a mutant. I was born with da power of kinetic energy. I can charge somethin' and it'll explode on impact. Da bigger da object, da bigger da explosion. What ya saw earlier was me chargin' cahds. I mainly use those as ma weapon."

Vera sat back as she listened, "That's interesting. I've never met a mutant before. I'm kind of sad now because I was really hoping you'd teach me that trick of yours. But, all is forgiven."

Remy continued, "Just wanna get dat out 'a da way a'fore I moved along. It'll make sense 'bout my livin' situation later on. I was raised by da patriarch 'a da Thieve's Guide, Jean-Luc LeBeau. But, I wasn't his real son. I was raised by da thieves on da street a'fore he picked me up. Day called me Le Diable Blanc, or Da White Devil. Tis was believed dat I would be da one ta help unite our guide with da Assassin's Guide. Anyways, I trained ta become a master thief, an' I could steal anythin'. For da right price, you'd get me, Le Diable Blanc. An', believe me Cherie, I was worth every penny." He grinned slightly.

Vera flushed slightly, "Something tells me that you're good at stealing hearts, because you kind of did that when I met you, even though I'm taken...I think I just put myself in a bad situation." She glanced at him, "You will speak of this to no one."

Remy tilted his head to the side slightly, "I thought vampires didn't 'ave hearts."

"I do in this form. Like I said, I've spent a good deal of time in this form that I've grown 'mortal features' that vampires don't have." Vera took his hand and placed it on her chest, "I have a heart."

Remy could feel her heart beating against her chest, "Dat's crazy."

"I know. It was a little strange at first, but I've gotten use to it." Vera released his hand, then moved a bit closer to him, "Keep going with your story! I'm getting really into this!"

"Glad ta 'ear dat, Cherie! Anyways, when I was a teen, I was hired by a man named Doctor Nathaniel Essex. I didn't fully trust him, but he offered a huge amount 'a money if I went ta Canada ta retrieve a diary for him, which he said was stolen. When I got ta da location Essex sent me ta, I swore ta maself dat I'd steal me a long, fancy coat when I returned. Tis freezin' up there! Wish he would have said somethin' a'fore I left, so I could have prepared myself!"

Vera looked over at the jacket resting on the chair diagonal from them, "I take it that's what you took?"

Remy nodded, "I've 'ad dat for a long time, an' don't plan ta give it up anytime soon. Anyway, I managed ta get inta da buildin' an' found where da diary was hidden. Then, I heard a sound an' was almost caught until I saw several people tryin' ta control dis crazy mutant. I did escape da buildin' a'fore day saw me. The moment I was far enough away, I looked in da diary an' saw weird drawin's in it along with writin'. I had a feelin' that those people in the buildin' were doing experiments on dat escaped mutant, so I burned da diary an' started ma long journey back 'ere. Da guide an' Essex were upset dat I didn't return with da diary, but I just told 'em dat I couldn't find it."

"Did they believe you when you told them that?"

"Mon père said dat if da diary was in da buildin', then I would have been able to find it. It was…I just didn't brin' it back. I felt da information inside wasn't meant for certain eyes. Plus, when I went inta da room da diary was in, I saw mutants floatin' in large test tubes with wires attached ta dem."

Vera's eyes widened at the mention of that, "Oh Goth, that sounds awful! Human or not, no one should be inside a test tube and experimented on! That's beyond wrong and sick! Where they alright?!"

"Sadly, I wouldn't know, Cherie. But, I was locked up in a place like dat a'fore. I was able ta escape, an' was da only mutant who ever did. I was given da nickname Gambit 'cause I'd always hustle da guards. I make a livin' playin' poker, even thought I came from a wealthy family."

"Was the diary the reason why you're living in this place?"

Remy shook his head, "No, Cherie, somethin' else happened. I had a good friend when I was eight, an' her name was Bella Donna. She was da granddaughter 'a da head 'a da Assassin's Guide. 'Casue our guides hated each other so much, we'd met in places where we knew dey wouldn't find us. I really loved her. Since I was suppose ta be da guy who united our guides, we got married. Everythin' was going well…until a few hours after da wedding' when her brother, Julien, started ta pick a fight with me. He challenged me ta a dual an' I had a feelin' he was gonna win, since he was a master assassin. I did what I could ta make sure dat I didn't lose…so I killed him. 'Cause 'a dis, I was exiled from da city an' ma relationship with Bella Donna ended."

Vera stared at him as she allowed everything he said to soak into her mind, "Holy bats. Your story really outweighs mine by a lot. But, if you're suppose to be banished, how do they not know that you're here?"

"I move 'round. I try not ta stay 'ere for too long. A few 'a deme 'ave caught me wanderin' 'round, but dey quickly learn ta back off."

Vera nodded her head slowly before saying, "The medallion?"

"I wasn't da one who brought it home. Another thief found it…not sure where thou. It went inta mon pere's possession da week before I married Bella Donna. It was in a velvet bag. Mon pere put it in a glass cabinet in his office. I passed by da office one night ta see a strange blinkin' comin' from a crack in da door. I peeked inside an' saw it flashin' in a slow pattern. Da thing gave me chills…tis still does when I think 'bout it."

"It…blinks?" Vera said with a bit of confusion in her voice, "I've…never been told that."

"Tis a scary piece 'a work, I'll give ya dat much."

"I can't say much about it because I've never seen it before. This will be my first time interacting with it." Vera looked at him as one of the candles burned out on the vanity behind them, "Remy, I'm suppose to retrieve my family heirloom before it gets into the wrong hands. I'm more worried about Daniel getting a hold of it…I don't even want to know what he'd do with it. I'm suppose to do this alone, but I'm going to need help. Will you help me?"

Remy held up his hands, "As long as ya touch it, den I'm fine with it."

"I would never make you touch it. Guide me through the mansion and accompany me to New York. With my abilities and your power, we will be unstoppable." Vera reached into her purse and pulled out the map Eluvitie had provided to her. She laid it out before him, "This is the underground tunnel system used by us creatures and fellow brothers. After we leave the mansion, this will be our way of travel. A fellow brother is here and will be able to provide us with some kind of transportation to get to New York."

Remy leaned over as he looked at the map, "I've never seen dis a'fore."

"The tunnels are hidden and can only be opened via secret passages inside certain buildings, or through cement sidewalk slabs. We may have to enter via the sidewalk. But, not the one in front of the mansion. We need to make sure we're far enough away from there, for I have a feeling guards are going to be chasing after us."

"When do ya wanna do dis?"

Vera pulled out her phone and looked at the date, "Tonight, if possible. I need to get in contact with my friend to make arrangements about transportation."

Remy looked at her phone before it went dark, "Mon pere always attends productions on Friday nights. Da place should be dead. I think nine would be da best time ta break in."

"Will there still be guards?"

"I'll take care 'a dem. Ya just worry 'bout dat scary glowin' thin'."

"Then it's settled. I'll meet you there at nine."


	7. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 7

"Are you sure you'll be alright doing this on your own?" Eluveitie asked as he stood next to the bathroom door in Vera's hotel room, "I don't mind lending a hand."

"I'll be alright." Vera replied from inside the bathroom, "Plus, I got an allie to help me out. I just need a vehicle to get me out of the city once all's said and done."

"Are you sure you can trust this person?"

"He's a thief and knows this place really well. I'm sure I'll be in good hands." Vera opened up the door and stepped out wearing a black vest with a high collar, her bracer, a pair of black pants and her boots. Two large tattoos showed on her upper arms. The one on her left was the Brotherhood logo outlined in Celtic designs, and the one on her right was a large Celtic design.

She walked over to her duffle bag and zipped it up. She handed it to him, "Take this with you. I'll meet up with you in New York."

Eluveitie took the bag in his hand, "What kind of vehicle would you like?"

"I really don't care as long as it has a GPS and Blue Tooth. Where do you plan to leave it?"

"The tunnel connects to a cathedral, so I'll park it in the back."

"What about the key?"

"I'll tape it under the hood."

"Fair enough." Vera looked over at the clock and saw that it was getting closer to nine, "I need to be heading out. I'll see you in a day or so…depending on how long it'll take to drive to New York from here."

"Try not to stop too much. Only stop if you need to, but make sure not to stick around too long. You never know who could be following you."

"I'll keep that in mind." Vera walked over to the bed and picked up the cape. She whipped it around her shoulders before placing the hood on her head.

"It looks good on you."

"Thank you." Vera walked up to him, then kissed him on the cheek, "I'll be seeing you."

"Be careful." Eluveitie replied as he returned the kiss, "I'll see you in Rivendell, Arwen."

Vera placed her hand on the center of her chest where the Evenstar hung around her neck under the vest, "I'm looking forward to it, Strider." With a light smile she watched as Elvueitie walked over to the door and opened it. Before he walked out, she spoke, "And, when you get there before me, dig out the movies. You know where they're at."

Eluveitie paused and looked back at her, "Which ones?"

"The extended editions, of course."

Eluveitie grinned, "I'll stop and get some snacks and soda along the way."

"Good, because I don't think we'll be sleeping for several hours." Vera grinned back and watched as he left the room. She used this opportunity to sneak out the window. She looked across the river at the city still covered in lights, "Alright…let's do this." She whispered as she dashed off into the darkness.

Remy had already managed to take out the guards hidden within the nearby trees and was just climbing down when he spotted Vera in her cape coming down the street. He went over to her.

"Did ya get lost?" He asked as the two of them walked up towards the mansion.

"No. My friend stopped by to take my bag and to discuss transportation. He's going to leave a vehicle outside of the cathedral for us. One of the tunnels leads to it." Vera replied to him as she looked at the door, "This can't be this easy."

"Trust me, Cherie, it ain't. Ya want me ta go first?"

"I have a better idea in mind." Vera turned to face the side of the mansion. She moved towards it and spotted a window right next to the chimney. She pulled a rock out of her pants pocket and threw it at the window, which shattered to pieces. She waited to see if an alarm would go off. When there was no sound, she jumped through the broken window, then opened it up for Remy, so he wouldn't be harmed by the glass.

Remy climbed in, "Ya alright?"

"Yeah. Just a few scratches, but nothing serious. I'm use to doing this kind of stuff." Vera brushed a few small shards of glass off her before having a look around the dark family room, "Ok, I'm guessing you know where to go."

"Top floor." Remy took her hand and lead her through the living room and towards a grand staircase that lead them to the second floor. He guided her down the hall and towards a second set of stairs that would take them to the third floor, where Jean-Luc's office and bedroom where located.

"Dere." Remy pointed to the first door on the left hand side, "Dat's his office." He could see the glowing of the medallion coming from the crack under the door, "Tis in there."

Vera studied the door for a moment before slowly opening it up and having a peek inside. She allowed herself to enter the large room. While she could careless about the luxurious desk, chairs, TV, paintings, light fixture and fish tank surrounding her, her mind was focused on the large, wooden cabinet across the way, where the medallion blinked inside amongst other valuables Jean-Luc owned…or stole. She went up to the cabinet and noticed the velvet bag was laying under the stand the medallion rested upon. She stared at it for several moments before reaching out and touching the handle on the cabinet.

"Remy…this seems too easy. Are there sensors inside?" She asked him.

Remy scurried to the desk and searched around for some kind of powder, any kind of powder like substance. He was able to find some chalk dust inside a small container, then brought it over to the cabinet. He opened up one of the doors and blew some of it within. Red lasers appeared all over the cabinet.

"Yeah…I thought so." Vera replied as she looked at the glowing lights, "There aren't anymore of your father's guards around, are there?"

"Not dat I know 'a." Remy said.

Vera walked over to the door and closed the door and locked it, "Ok, because I have no idea how to maneuver around those things, I'm just going to grab it." She went back over to the cabinet and saw a window right behind the desk. She went to the window and opened it up. She looked out to see the roof wasn't that high above them, "Are you good at running across roof tops?"

"I…think so."

"We won't have any other choice once I get done with this." Vera went back to the cabinet and opened up the other door. She quickly reached inside and grabbed the medallion and allowed the stand to fall to the ground when she pulled the bag out. The medallion glowed in her hand as she placed it in the bag, then tied the strings to her belt loop. She looked around and listened. No alarms…no people coming. She sighed slightly.

"Ok…that was painfully easy…too easy." She looked at the window, "We need to get out of here before someone finds out about this." She moved to the side of the cabinet and began to try and slide it across the carpet.

"What da heck are ya doing?" Remy questioned.

"So no one can get in here." When it was in a position to her liking, Vera pushed the cabinet over and watched as the top leaned against the doorway while all the items inside fell out onto the carpet, "Now, get moving."

Remy went to the window and looked up to see that he'd be able to reach the roof with ease. He wasn't sure if Vera would need help, or not. After climbing out the window, he positioned himself on the ledge and was able to grab the gutter and pull himself up. He looked over the edge to see Vera climbing out behind him. He reached his hand down and helped her up.

Once she was safely on the roof, Vera had a look around, "Ok. This is pretty easy. Just follow after me. Stay in the center of the roof if you can. Less risk of falling. Which way to the cathedral?"

Remy glanced around, then pointed to a faint building in the distance, "Dat way. But, we'll run outta roof before we get there."

"It does look a good distance away. The tunnel will provide us with safety the rest of the way. Until then, we need to get as close to it as we possibly can." She looked down the street and saw a few cars rushing their way, "I think it's safe to say, time to get moving." Before she knew it, she was already darting her way across the roof tops.

It took Remy a few moments to catch up to her. He kept losing his footing every so often, but was able to regain his balance. While he had ran across a few rooftops before, they weren't shaped like those of the mansions they were running across at the moment.

Reaching the final mansion, Vera quickly stopped and had a look around. There was nowhere else to jump and they still had a long way to go. She looked down to see a pick up truck parked out on the street right below them. Taking a deep breath, she jumped from the roof and landed on the hood of the truck while Remy landed in the bed. She jumped down, grabbed Remy's hand, once he was safely out, and dashed off in the direction of the cathedral.

"We ain't gonna make it in time." Remy said as he tried to keep pace with her, "Dey'll catch us in no time!"

"I just need to find one of those concrete slabs and we'll be safe." Vera turned a corner and quickly started to check each of the slabs by putting her hands on the crack between the slabs and pulling up. Once they reached the end of the street, the last slab lifted up with ease and just in time as the sounds of cars and shouts could be heard at least five blocks away.

"Get in!" Vera replied to Remy and allowed him ascend down the latter within before following after him. She closed the slab just in time to hear the cars and voices coming from above them. She held onto the metal bar on the slab for just a little while until she knew it was safe to release it and make her way to the floor below.

Remy was in complete awestruck when he saw the tunnel and all the wonderful Celtic and Nordic symbols carved into the walls, "Dis is really cool." He said as he walked up to one of the symbols to have a look at it.

"Careful. Those connect to the tombs of our ancestors back in Europe." Vera replied to him. She removed the bag from her belt loop and handed it to Remy, "Would you hold onto this for me? I think it would be safer in your hands."

Remy looked at the bag for several moments before taking it by the strings and placing it into a pocket inside his jacket.

"It won't harm you when it's inside the bag. Just if you touch the medallion itself." Vera looked up and down the tunnel, "I believe we go this way." She pointed to the left.

Remy nodded, "Dat's da way." He started to walk down the torch lit tunnel with Vera next to him, "Besides jumpin' across roofs, what else can ya do?"

"I can climb walls." Vera said as she kept close to him while keeping her ears open for any sounds other than the sounds of their footsteps and the ancestors' voices, "But, it depends on the type of materiel the wall is made out of."

Remy looked at the walls around them, "Can ya climb dese ones?"

Vera shook her hand, "No. Not enough places for my hands and feet. Plus, I would never climb on an ancestor's 'tomb'."

"You'll have ta show me later."

"When we get to New York, I will."

Remy nodded slightly, "Does dis tunnel end at da cathedral, or is it like at da mansion?"

"My guess is that we'll be entering the cathedral. If the tunnel stops without a staircase, then we'll be coming out on the sidewalk. If there is a staircase, then we'll be inside the cathedral. This is my first time navigating through here."

"Dis is a really cool place. Wish I would have known 'bout dis earlier. Would 'ave helped me a lot."

"Like I said before, only us creatures know about it, along with fellow brothers."

"Will somethin' happen ta me for being down 'ere?"

"I don't think so because you're with me. But, I don't see how anything can happen to someone if they found the place." Vera paused for a moment as she listened.

Remy stopped next to her and had a look around, "Do ya 'ear somethin'?" He whispered to her.

Vera turned her head to the right slightly as she saw a shadow ascending from one of the tunnels farther away from them. She grabbed his hand and quickly picked up the pace, "Let's hurry." She said in a low voice.

"Tis someone comin'?"

Vera could feel her heart pounding at the speed of light as they made for the exit, which was still, at least, twenty minutes away, "Yes, and I have a bad feeling I know who it is, too." She moved at a fast walk in hopes that the person wouldn't be able to see them, but she was well aware of the torch light, which would make it almost impossible for them to blend into the darkness.

The person stepped out from the tunnel and looked down the hall to their right to see a dark blur down aways, "Vera, is that you?"

Remy felt a chill go down his spin when he heard the voice echo down the tunnel towards them. The voice seemed dark and a bit threatening, but he noticed that Vera wasn't stopping, that she just kept on walking as if to ignore the person. Obviously, she was trying to avoid getting into a scuffle with them, but he felt that they weren't totally safe of them. He tried to calm himself as he could hear the footsteps echoing behind them. Unlike Vera, he couldn't hear the sound of the ancestors' voices around them. All he could hear was the flicker of the torches and the oncoming visitor.

"Vera! I know that's you!" A quick flash past the two of them and paused some feet in front of them, "Did you really think you could out walk me?"

Vera quickly stopped and stood in front of Remy slightly, "Get out of the way, Daniel! I'm done dealing with you!"

"And, where are you headed in such a hurry?" Daniel questioned as he took a step closer to them.

"None of your business!" Vera hissed at him as she allowed the blade in her bracer to show.

"You wouldn't happen to have the medallion on you, would you?" Daniel allowed his blade to exit his bracer. It stuck out of the bottom of his sleeve.

"No, I wouldn't!"

Remy felt his heart drop as he knew that Daniel would soon figure out that it was hidden in his jacket. While he knew he could hold his own, he wasn't sure what type of power this guy had and how good he was at fighting. He reached into his pocket and waited to draw a card.

"Then, why are you down here?" Daniel questioned as his eyes shifted to Remy when he noticed Remy's hand motion.

"That's none of your business!" Vera took notice to Daniel's distraction and quickly gave him a swift kick to the ribs while jabbing him under his ribcage with her finger tips. As soon as he fell, she raced off with Remy right behind her.

Daniel groaned as he slowly pushed himself up, trying to catch his breath. He placed his hand on his side and realized that at least two of his ribs had been broken. He turned his head as his eyes flared red. Upon removing his earring, he dashed off after them.

Vera could hear him coming again and quickly pushed Remy ahead of her, "Go!" She called to him.

Remy looked back to see a flash coming straight towards them. It wasn't long until Daniel had caught up to them and had grabbed Vera. He quickly stopped and turned to see that Daniel had his blade to Vera's neck.

Daniel panted heavily as he glared at Remy, "I don't know who you are, but I take it you're not much of an alliance to our Brotherhood! If I were you, I'd hand over that medallion before I decide to slit someone's neck."

"How do ya know we even 'ave it?" Remy questioned him as he kept his eyes locked to Vera, who was struggling against the blade, even though the blade was being blocked by the high collar.

"I'm not stupid. I know why she came down here. She's been looking for the same thing as me. She just got lucky to have friends help her out. Now, give it to me!"

Remy kept his eyes on Vera as his heart raced.

Vera looked back at him as she could feel the blade starting to rip through the collar and onto her skin. She mouthed to him, 'Give it to him.'

Remy reached into his jacket pocket and threw the bag towards them.

Daniel released Vera and shoved her out of the way as he made his way towards the bag.

Remy darted to Vera, then kneeled next to her, "Ya alright, Cherie?" He asked her.

Vera coughed a little as she brought her hand to her neck. She removed it and saw a slight bit of blood, "I'll be fine." She said to him.

Daniel picked up the bag and reached inside. He pulled out the medallion and watched as it glowed in his hand for several moments before it stopped. He stared at it for several moments before looking over at Vera, "Why isn't is glowing?! It should be glowing!" He hissed at her.

Vera slowly stood up as she faced him, "Because it's judging you."

Daniel's eyes widened as he looked down at the medallion that hung from his hand.

"I might not have ever seen that thing until now, but I've heard stories and I've learned my family's history. It only glows when a family member holds it. Once it stops, that means that it's starting to judge you and is sealing your fate! You should have known that it was not meant for you! It was meant for my family and my family alone. We do not share the same bloodline because it died of centuries ago! If you thought it would react to you, then you are mistaken."

Daniel looked over at her as he allowed the medallion to drop to the floor. It made a loud clink sound that echoed through the tunnel, "Do you know how many times we've drank each other's blood? It should have reacted to me!"

"That's not how it works! It goes by your bloodline and that alone! Maybe you should have been the one to learn about that thing before you came and searched for it!"

Before Daniel had time to react, Remy threw several cards at Daniel, which blasted him down the tunnel. That gave Vera time to grab the medallion and place it back into the bag. Her and Remy headed off in the direction of the cathedral, but they were quickly stopped by Daniel again. Only this time, Daniel knocked Remy to the ground, who quickly became unconscious as soon as his head hit the concrete floor. A small bit of blood trailed from his forehead onto the ground below. Before Vera had time to help Remy, she quickly found herself on the ground as Daniel the pressure point on her neck. She groaned as he dragged her to one of the nearby walls. He sat against it and brought her close to him.

"Now that the medallion has no use for me, I think it's time to clam the other thing I want." Daniel hissed at her as he brought the blade to his neck and slit it slightly, allowing a bit of blood to drain down his neck.

Vera looked at the blood as her eyes quickly turned red. She bit her lip as she was able to turn her head to Remy. The blood wasn't running as quickly, but she could tell that he'd need some kind of help. The smell of both of their bloods was driving her insane! She closed her eyes tightly as she allowed a tear to roll down her cheek.

"You decide whose blood you want." Daniel said to her as he removed her earring, "But, do you really want to kill you friend, or do you want him to spend the rest of his days as a vampire? The choice is yours."

Vera struggled to decide. She knew that she couldn't control herself when taking someone else's blood and she'd likely kill Remy before having the chance to change him into a vampire. But, she was well aware that if she took Daniel's blood from his neck that she'd quickly become his. She leaned her head on Daniel's chest as another tear escaped her eye.

'Please, someone, just help me!' She thought as she tried to make a decision. She knew that if she didn't make it quick, then Daniel would decide for her and she knew it wouldn't end the way she wanted it. She looked at Daniel's neck knowing that this wasn't the decision that she wanted to make, but she needed to get to Remy and help him before something ended up happening to him. She took a deep breath and listened as it came out unevenly.

'Eluveitie, Remy, my family and my friends…I'm sorry.' She thought as she leaned into Daniel's neck. As she was about to take his blood, she heard the voices around her getting louder and louder. Her body shook from the noise and her ears pounded. She quickly withdrew and saw something appearing out of the wall behind Daniel. Her eyes widened when she saw it was the ghost of one of her male ancestors.

Daniel had heard the voices and quickly turned to see the ghost as well. Before he had the chance to make a move, the ghost wrapped his powerful hands around Daniel's mouth and nose, making it almost impossible for him to breath. In moments, he was leaning against the wall unconscious.

Vera panted slightly as her body shook from fear. She looked up at her ancestor before bowing her head slightly and said in Celtic, "Thank you."

He bowed back to her before disappearing into the wall and the voices quickly calmed.

Vera got up and ran over to Remy. She rolled him over on his back and saw a slight cut above his head, which was still dripping with blood. She placed her earring back on, then used her blade to cut off a section of her pants from the knee down. She made a temporary bandage and fixed up the wound the best that she could.

She waited a few moments before shaking him lightly, "Remy, are you alright? Remy, please wake up."

Remy groaned as he placed his hand on his forehead, "What happened? An' why does ma head hurt?"

Vera let out a sigh of relief, "Are you able to walk?"

"Give me an hour."

"We don't have that kind of time." Vera stood up, then helped him up, "We have to keep moving."

Remy leaned on Vera as he looked over at Daniel's body, "What da…"

"He's unconscious. He shouldn't be awake for several hours. We need to leave here at once." She lead Remy down the tunnel.

About fifteen minutes or so, they came to a concrete staircase that went up to the cathedral. It was much like the same staircase that she had ascended at the theatre. When they reached the top, she placed her hand on the wall and the door slid open. Safely inside, she noticed that they were in the heart of the cathedral's sanctuary, which was empty. She lead Remy through the room and out of the cathedral. She looked around, then saw a sign pointing to a parking lot right behind the cathedral. She followed the sign and saw a black extended crew cab truck parked in the back. She went over to it, then allowed Remy to lean on the bed before heading to the front of the truck and opening up the hood. There, as promised, was the key duck taped to it. She removed the key, then opened up the truck. She opened up the backdoor and saw a few bags back there. She pulled the seat down and watched as it transformed into a bed, but not a nice comfy one. More of a solid one. She allowed Remy to rest in the back and allowed him use her cape as a blanket. She hoped up front and started up the truck. Within moments, the Blue Tooth kicked on as a picture appeared on a small screen in the center of the cab.

"Set course for Westchester, New York." She said and watched as the screen quickly turned into a map. She pulled out of the parking lot and headed on their way out of the city and back up north.


	8. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 8

It didn't take long for Vera to exit the state and was already half way through Mississippi as the morning sun broke through the sky. She took one of the exits and followed it to a small town a few miles from the expressway. She pulled up to a drug store, then went inside to get a few things. She came back out several minutes later and opened up the back door to see that Remy was still asleep, despite having the morning sun shining brightly in his eyes through the windshield. She shook him gently.

"Remy, can you wake up for a moment." She said to him as she placed the bag on the floor of the truck.

Remy groaned as he rolled over onto his back and shaded his eyes from the bright sun, "I feel like shit."

"You'll feel better once I take care of that wound of yours." Vera unwrapped the makeshift bandage and had a look, "At least you won't need stitches." She began to rummage through the bag and pulled out a bottle of peroxide and a bag of cotton balls.

"Are we outta da city?" Remy asked as he allowed his eyes to open up. He watched as she prepared a cotton ball with a bit of peroxide.

"We're out of state, if that helps. We're in the middle of Mississippi right now. While we still have a long drive ahead of us, I want to make as little stops as possible." Vera gently tapped the cotton ball on his forehead.

Remy bit his lip at the stinging sensation he felt from the peroxide going into the wound, "How long is da trip?"

"From New Orleans, about nineteen hours. Nothing I can't manage." Vera went back into the bag and grabbed a small tube of Neosporin, and some bandages.

"Would ya like me ta drive 'alf 'a da way?" Remy asked.

Vera shook her head, "I'll be fine." She dabbed a bit of the Neosporin on the wound before applying the bandages. She put the medical supplies back into the bag, then pulled out a bottle of Gatorade, "Drink this. It should help hydrate you."

Remy slowly sat himself up, then took the bottle from her and opened it.

"You can rest some more back here, if you'd like."

"I'll come up front with ya." After taking a quick drink, Remy jumped out of the back of the truck and went to the passenger side.

Vera put the seat back up and made sure it was locked into place before closing up the back door and getting into the driver's side, "Let me know when you need to rest and I'll pull over."

"I think I'll be fine for awhile." Remy glanced at her for a moment, "How's you're neck doing?"

Vera pulled down the sun visor and looked at her neck in the mirror, "It'll heal. It's not too bad. Just surprised his blade as able to penetrate through the material." She started up the truck, then drove off, "This is made of a thick material. I have a few outfits back home like this."

"Must 'ave been one sharp blade."

"He must have had it sharpened recently. But, I'm not worried about this little mark. I've had worse."

"Can't vampires 'eal demselves?"

"Not like werewolves, sadly. Ours take a little more time."

"Where's your bracer?"

"Under your seat. I'm smart enough to know not to walk around with it on out in the open."

Remy reached under the seat and pulled it out. He looked at it, "Tis lighter dan I thought it would be."

"That thing has been in my family since we joined the Brotherhood. It's older than the ones my cousins have. I'm surprised it's in such good shape and has lasted as long as it has."

"Where's da blade?"

"The bottom part of the bracer. You can't see or feel it. The bracer is double leather, so it's hidden in the middle of the two pieces. There's a spring attachment within that controls the blade. While everyone has their own way of using it, I just flick my wrist and it responds to me."

"Dat's crazy…but, tis cool." Remy put it back under the seat.

"Much different from the assassins you know, right?"

"Honestly, I think you're much cooler dan dey are."

Vera grinned slightly, "You got that right." She glanced down to see her phone ringing. She quickly connected it to the Blue Tooth, so she could hear it throughout the truck's cab, "I'm not a morning person."

"Glad to know everything went well." Eluveitie replied.

"Where the heck are you?"

"Just got out of Tennessee. Should be in state in a few hours."

"Damn! You made some great time!"

"Good thing about driving at night, no construction to worry about. Speaking of which, there's a few spots on your way up here. You might either have to change route, or stop for the night."

"I'll see how far we get by nine."

"If you do stop, hit the road first thing in the morning. I wouldn't be surprised if you might be being followed."

"I will keep that in mind."

"Also, you'll need to stop at an abandon farm or something along the way to switch up license's plates. There's a set of New York ones in the glove compartment."

Remy looked at the glove compartment in front of him and opened it up. Inside was the set of plates along with a screwdriver.

"And, I supplied you with a few bags of food."

"Yeah, I saw that. Thanks for all of this, Eluveitie." Vera said.

"No problem. See you in about a day or so."

"Depending on how all of this goes, I'll probably see you tomorrow afternoon."

"Then…can we marathon The Lord of the Rings?"

"Yes, as long as you dig the movies out by the time I get there. And, have some soda and snacks."

"Energy drinks?"

Vera thought for a moment, "Monster…with two large bottles of water. I'm in no mood for a caffeine hang over. I was not pleased the first time that happened."

Eluveitie laughed, "Why didn't you have water with it the first time around?"

"Because no one told me to drink water with it. Two large bottles of water and I'll be good."

"Alright. I'll be sure to get everything set up. See you tomorrow."

"Have a safe trip."

"Same to you."

With that, the Blue Tooth disconnected when Eluveitie hung up on his end of the line. Vera sat back slightly as she put the truck on cruse control, "If I die…it's going to be because I marathoned The Lord of the Rings while drinking soda and an energy drink."

"Um…ain't dere da Hobbit movies, too?" Remy questioned as he looked at her.

"Yes, but, as far as I know, we're just going to watch The Lord of the Rings movies and hold off on The Hobbit for a bit." Vera groaned a little, "That's going to be Hell! If anything, I'll die then."

"Da movies can't be dat long."

"Extended editions."

Remy's eyes widened slightly as he looked back out the windshield, "I take dat back."

Close to seven that evening, they had just crossed the state line into Virginia. Vera took one of the exits and followed the road into a country side. Going off the main roads, she was able to track down an old barn that had brush growing up around it, the perfect cover to switch out the licenses plates on the truck. She was lucky enough to be able to pull into the barn. As soon as the truck was shut off, she reached over to the glove compartment, grabbed the plates and screw driver, then jumped out of the truck and began her work.

Remy stepped out of the passenger side and walked around observing the old barn. He went through piles of junk to see if there was anything worth taking…and worth selling.

Once the front plate was off, Vera threw it as far back into the barn as she could before moving to the next plate. The first plate hit one of beams that held the roof in place. A slight sound came from up above as bits of dust fell down from the raptors. Some left over hay fell from the hay loft close by. She paused for a moment and looked up, as did Remy.

"What was dat?" Remy questioned as he slowly made his way back to her.

"I think this barn has seen its glory years. I'll be careful where I throw this plate. Don't need this place to cave in on us." Vera began to remove the second plate, "I would suggest not touching anything that's attached to the barn. Who knows what could happen."

Remy walked to her and watched her remove the plate with ease and toss that one to the side. He watched as the plate skidded across the concrete floor and towards the wall. He bit his tongue. The plate came to a halt just inches shy of the nearby wall. He let out a small sigh of relief.

Vera rose as soon as the new plate was tightly on the truck. She walked back to the driver's side and opened up the door, "We should head out. I don't feel totally safe in this place." She jumped in.

Remy followed her lead and got in as well. He saw her place the screwdriver on his lap before exiting the barn. He placed it in the glove box.

"Get directions to the nearest hotel." Vera said and watched as the map on the screen changed, "Five miles. Not bad."

"Ya stoppin' for da night?" Remy questioned as he watched the scenery around them quickly change from brush to corn fields.

"Yeah. If anything, we should get a few hours of sleep. I want to leave, if anything, at five in the morning, or a little before."

"Talk 'bout life on da run."

"Not really. Just need to stay one step ahead of our rivals."

Soon, the hotel came into view. Vera pulled up to the front door, then went inside to see if there was a room available for the night. Within moments, she returned to the truck with a room key and handed it to Remy as she climbed in. She moved the truck close to the side of the building they'd be entering in. As Remy climbed out, Vera hid her cape under the driver's seat and grabbed her bracer, along with one of the bags Eluveitie had provided for her. She slipped the bracer inside, then headed into the hotel. They went up to the second floor and found their room with ease. It was nothing fancy, just a simple two bed like the one she had in New Orleans.

"This will do." Vera locked the door before heading over to one of the beds and putting the bag down on it.

"Tis fine by me." Remy removed his jacket and threw it onto the other bed.

Vera walked over to his jacket and pulled out the bag. She opened it and looked inside, "Still blinking. Guess that's a good thing."

"Ya don't think we'll be attacked…do ya?"

"I'm hoping not. As far as I know, just Daniel knows we have it, but I don't believe he'll be able to catch up to us, so I wouldn't worry all too much."

Remy nodded slightly as he seated himself on the bed, "What ya gonna do with it once ya get home?"

"It's going in a vault with some of the other things we have. Items that were given to our students by family members. Items that belonged to their ancestors. Items the Templars want."

"At least it'll be safe."

Vera nodded a little, "Yes, it will be. And, under my lock and key." She pulled it out of the bag and watched as it shined brightly.

"Tis purdy…if it wasn't so scary." Remy backed away slightly, not wanting any part of his body to touch the medallion. He had no interest in losing his life anytime soon.

"Depends who's on the other end of it." Vera replied as she looked at it for a moment, then looked at Remy.

Remy looked back at her, "What…? Why ya lookin' at me with da thin' in your hands?"

Vera turned her attention back to the medallion as she studied it for several long moments, "I wonder…"

"Whatever you're thinkin', I don't wanna be part 'a it."

"Give me your hand."

"I ain't touchin' dat thin'! I wanna live! Well…I don't wanna die a terrible death, dat is. But, I don't wanna die either!"

"It won't kill you. Give me your hand." Vera held out her free hand to him.

Remy hesitated for a moment before slowly taking her hand in his.

"Good. Now," Vera swung the chain around her other hand, "put your other hand on top of mine."

"Are ya crazy?!"

"Remy, it can't hurt you if I'm touching it as well. I promise. Just take my hand."

Remy bit his lip as he quickly grabbed her hand and waited to see what the medallion would do as his heart pounded at the speed of light. He could feel himself go pale from nerves.

Vera watched as the medallion never changed its bright glow when it knew that she was still in control of it. She began to speak in Celtic, "I, Vera, Heir of the Dubhthach family, eldest of this generation of my family, ask that you bestow upon my friend, Remy, the gift of immortality. May he forever be an alliance of mine and may I be an alliance to him when he's in need."

Remy couldn't make out what she was saying, but was able to recognize his name and her name. He listened as he felt his hand turn warm. He looked down to see the medallion had dimmed to a blood red color. He felt the warmth trail through his body. It was a relaxing sensation, almost as if he were getting a message. He could feel his eyes grow heavy the more he felt relaxed. Within minutes, the sensation went away.

Vera released his hands and the medallion began to glow its normal color again, "Don't fall asleep on me." She said while placing the medallion back into the velvet bag.

"What happened?" Remy asked as he tried to keep himself awake, "What did ya do?"

"Remember how I said this can make anyone immortal if it deems the person worthy?" As soon as she saw him nod, she continued, "Well, we, those in my bloodline, can control that, but only if we speak in Celtic, the language that it knows best. I asked it to bestow that upon you, and it appeared to have listened and granted you that. It must have believed that you were worthy."

Remy's eyes widened as his heart dropped, "Ya did…what?" His eyes shifted to the bag, "It did…what?"

"Before you spazz out, no, you're not a vampire. You have just been gifted with immorality, which means that you'll live for a long time. And, it'll be hard for your enemies to kill you. Pretty much, you're invincible."

Remy's eyes widened more as he fell back onto the bed, passed out.

Vera leaned over, "Remy…?" She snapped her fingers and waved her hand in front of his face, "Remy…um…yeah, I'll give that a little while to set in." She stood up, then walked into the bathroom.

An hour later, Remy woke up as he groaned slightly. He put his hand on his head as he slowly sat up, "Why does it feel like I've been hit by a truck?" He said to himself. He noticed a light coming from the bathroom, then slowly raised himself out of the bed and headed towards it. He saw that the door was cracked open slightly, so he peeked inside to see Vera standing in front of a mirror in her sports bra and a pair of black boy shorts looking at the mark on her neck, which was slowly healing. He tapped on the door slightly.

Vera was startled by the sound, then looked over at it, "Are you feeling better?"

Remy opened the door a little more and peeked inside, "Ma head hurts."

"Go rest. You need it after the long twenty-four hours you've had."

"Why did ya do it?"

"Because I trust you, and I believe that you'll make a good alliance. And, because you're my friend. I've attended enough funerals in my time…I don't want to attend anymore."

"But, what 'bout your other friends?"

"Only a select few will have the right of immorality by my hand. You are the first one."

"What if it didn't work?"

"I think I would have known if it didn't trust you fully to be granted with that gift. And, if it didn't, I would have been able to control it to make sure that it didn't harm you. As long as I'm touching it with you, then you're in good hands."

Remy nodded a little as he allowed himself to enter the bathroom, "Just a bit shocked, tis all."

"Understandable."

Remy walked up to her, then leaned down slightly to have a look at the wound. He reached up and touched it slightly.

Vera watched him, then reached up and touched his hand, "I'll be alright. It's not bleeding anymore. It's healing up."

"Does he really like ya, Cherie?"

"I…don't know for sure. I…never really knew."

"He could have killed ya."

"I know, but it's because of the medallion. He wants it, but he'll never get it."

"Ya said if your enemies get it, den dey can do some bad stuff with it. What else can it do?"

"I really have no idea myself. I need to play around with it, but I fear what other powers it possesses. My parents have always told me that if it gets into the wrong hands…all Hell will break loss. Right now, I just want to get it home safe and put it away under lock and key."

Remy removed his hand from her wound as he nodded slightly. He caught a glimpse of the Evenstar resting on the counter top. He turned and looked down at it.

Vera watched him, "It's from The Lord of the Rings."

"Ya really like dat movie, don't ya?"

"I'm not a big movie person, but I do like it. I'm more of a Tim Burton movie person. He's a good director and producer. I'd like to see his take on these films. It would be interesting." She let out a slight yawn, "I'm going to head off to bed. Why don't you get cleaned up a little. A nice, hot shower should help your head. Have a good night."

Remy looked up to see her about to exit the bathroom. He took her hand, "Cherie."

Vera paused and turned to face him.

"Thank ya…for everythin'."

"The journey isn't over yet. You can thank me when it's over." She walked up to him, then kissed him on the cheek, "Just promise me that you'll stick around New York for awhile."

"Ma heart will always be in Nawleans, but I will come ta visit ya, I promise."

Vera smiled lightly, "I trust you. Have a good evening." She slowly released his hand as she headed off to her bed.

Remy watched her for several moments before closing the door.

The sun slowly rose as they made their journey from the hotel to Westchester County, New York. The afternoon came quickly as the truck rolled through the forest towards the camp. The gate was open and the truck passed through with ease. Remy observed the place around them as Vera drove towards one of the buildings. Bringing the truck to a halt, Vera opened up the door and jumped out. She made her way quickly to the passenger side door right as Remy had opened it up.

"I would advise you to stay behind me for a moment." Vera said as she looked around.

"Why?" Remy asked as he landed on the grass beneath them.

Vera quickly held her arm out as the blade retracted from the bracer. Within seconds they were surrounded by a group of students, both new and experienced. "I would suggest you be smart and stand down." She hissed at them, "He's no threat to you or to the Brotherhood."

"You should know the rules of this place." One of them spoke up, "No outsiders allowed."

"He's our alliance. Put those blades back and let me get to Lucas."

"You shall not pass!"

"Is that so? Well then…" Vera stepped forward towards the student. She saw the others back off for they knew not to mess with her and they learned to fear not only her strong posture, but her powerful stride, which made her appear dangerous to anyone who crossed paths with her, "you have a choice; either stand down and let us pass, or fight me." She brought the tip of the blade to his neck, "Blades and all."

The student tried his best to look brave, but, deep down, he was frightened of her. He was a fairly new student, only having been there five months, but always saw himself as high and mighty do to the status of not only his family, but of his assassin ancestors. While he knew that he shouldn't be terrified of his teacher, who was shorter than him, he was very well aware of her skills and the way she moved her body when approaching not only an enemy, but a group of students. He slowly raised his bracer and allowed the blade to come out.

Vera glanced at it for a moment, waiting for him to make a move. She kept the tip of her blade pointed at his neck.

Remy quickly jumped back into the truck and closed the door slightly. He wasn't sure what was going to happen, but he was well aware that he didn't want to be dragged into it.

"Why are you stalling, Enzo?" She questioned him, "You want to fight, but here you are, waiting. What if I was a Templar? What would you do?"

Enzo looked at his blade, then lowered it, "I know what happens if I kill another assassin."

Vera lowered hers and stepped back, "Of course you do, but you are here to learn, not to kill. Yes, you may end up harming one of us, but you will not kill us." She went up to him and removed his bracer, then looked at it, "It's a nice blade, I will admit that. The designs on it are unbelievable, and I like the bits of broken pieces on it. Makes for a nice kill." She handed it back to him, "If you're worried about getting blood all over that thing, then I suggest you get a different blade. Though, I'm sure that blade has seen a fair portion of Templar blood in its time."

Enzo looked down at the bracer for a moment, then back at Vera, "I could care less about getting blood on this blade. I fear you and your abilities."

"Really? I find that strange as I have had my fair share of missions and killing in my life time to gain all this experience. I am just your teacher. You should not fear me…unless you step out of line during a session. Next class, you and me battle with the blades. Make your ancestor, Ezio, proud of you. But, don't allow your social status to get in the way. Status is dangerous and can lead to a quick death. Push it aside and you will succeed."

She walked back to the truck as the blade went back into the bracer. She looked at Remy, "They won't give you anymore problems. Come."

Remy quickly jumped out of the truck and followed after her to the outdoor picnic area where Lucas was waiting for them. When he saw Vera seat herself at the table, he stood next to her as he looked at the man who was seated across the way.

"I see everything went well." Lucas said to her.

"Be lucky I didn't drop kick Enzo several buildings over." Vera replied to him as she held out her hand to Remy.

Lucas laughed, "Don't you just love those surprises?"

"No, I don't." Vera felt Remy place the bag in her hand. She gripped it slightly, then put it on the table, "Put that in the vault. You know which box is mine."

"Yeah, yeah. I'll get on that." Lucas looked at Remy, "I see you've made a new friend."

"An allie, yes. His name is Remy."

Remy bowed his head slightly, "Nice ta meet ya."

Lucas nodded his head in turn, "Pleasure. But, you know he can't stay here, Vera. He's not apart of the Brotherhood."

"I'm not allowing him to go back to New Orleans on his own." Vera said.

Lucas thought for a moment, then rose from his seat, "Give me a moment. I'll be right back." He walked off towards one of the two large buildings. Several minutes later, he returned with a piece of paper and handed it to Remy, "Go to this address. It's an hour away, but I believe it will suit your situation better." He seated himself.

Vera stood and looked at the address. She nodded her head in approval, "Yes, that would be a good place."

Remy studied the address. He could have sworn he'd seen it before, but he couldn't quite remember where.

"You may go with him, but be back before midnight. That's an order." Lucas said to Vera.

"Yeah, yeah, I've got that." Vera said before looking around to see some of the students had gathered around to watch them. She picked up the bag and removed the medallion before stepping into the shade of the nearby tree. She held it up, "Listen to me, all of you!" Her voice was loud enough for those inside the buildings to hear her. They all came out to see what was going on.

She removed her earring and allowed her true side to be seen. Most of the students there knew, while this was a first for others. Still, no matter how many times they might have seen this side of her, they all feared her and kept their distance. Only Lucas and Sarah showed no fair of this side of her.

"This belongs to my family and my family alone! It will remain here in the vault until further notice! But, heed this warning and heed it well! While I still have much to learn about this, I know of one of its true powers. If you wish to touch this, then you shall suffer a painful and horrible death! How and when is unknown, but only to the medallion. It would be wise of you to leave this where it belongs, with my items that are within the vault! Touch it at your own risk!"

She put her earring back on and transformed into her human self as she placed the medallion back into the bag. She handed it over to Lucas, "It won't harm you while it's in the bag."

"Thanks for scaring the crap out of everyone." Lucas took the bag from her.

Vera shrugged a little, "What can I say? Don't need someone to fall victim to that. Anyways, Remy and I should be heading out. I'll be back before midnight."

"You better keep that promise."

"I will." Vera turned and looked at Remy, "Let's head out. We can take my motorcycle."

"Do ya know where you're going?" Remy asked as he handed the address to Vera.

Vera studied it for a moment, "I should have a rough idea. We can always ask when we get closer."

An hour passed by as Vera pulled up to a brick wall with a fancy gate door that lead to their destination. Both of them stared in awe at the sight before them. As the motorcycle slowly rolled up the path, in front of them was a large mansion shaped like a European castle with a cream colored exterior while the windows and doors gave off a more modern look.

"Holy…" Remy couldn't find the words to say as he stared up at the third story windows.

"Ok…I can easily say that I'm super envious of your new living situation now." Vera brought the motorcycle to a stop near the front door and shut it off, "I'm so coming to visit you!"

Remy jumped off the bike and walked over to the door. He saw a large knocker on the outside and used it to knock on the door.

Within moments, the door opened up to revile a man, in his early sixties, in a wheelchair. He was dressed nicely and had a bald head. He smiled up at Remy, "Welcome. I knew you'd come along."

Remy raised an eye brow as Vera walked up to him, "Ya know me?"

"I ran into you before in the past with a fellow student of mine. You seemed a bit hesitant to come by. But, I see you've changed your mind." The man glanced a Vera for a second before giving Remy his full attention.

Remy thought about it for a moment before nodding, "Yeah…now I remember ya. I've…kinda changed ma mind."

"Won't you come in? I'll give you a tour, then I'll give you a key to your room." The man allowed the two of them to step into the building before closing the door behind them, "And, my name's Charles Xavier."

After a tour of the mansion, Remy received his room key. Vera helped Remy get settled into his new room, which looked like a mini version of an apartment, while some of the students popped in to introduce themselves. Vera left her contact information with Remy, so they could keep in touch. She stuck around for dinner before being escorted out of the mansion with Remy, Xavier and a few of the other students.

"Thank you for allowing me to help him get settled in, and for dinner as well. It was wonderful." Vera said to Xavier as she bowed her head respectively, "I'll be sure to drop by to visit him when I have time."

"You are more than welcome here at any time." Xavier replied to her, "Don't be afraid to just swing on by. We wouldn't mind seeing a friendly face around here."

"I appreciate your kindness. Well, I must be off. I promised a friend we'd watch The Lord of the Rings. Can't keep him waiting."

"Cherie, ya said dat you'd show me how ya can climb walls." Remy said to her.

"I did say that didn't I?" Vera looked over at the wall of the mansion, then at Xavier. With a nod of approval, she walked to the wall and felt the texture of it, "Shouldn't be too difficult." She raised the black hood over her head, she had detached it from the cape, then peered up at the roof.

The students watching her, including Remy and Xavier, noticed her shadow on the side of the mansion. The hood made a shadow that looked like an eagle's head, with the front tip of the hood looking like the beak.

Vera turned her head towards them, "I'm not advising you all to climb this building. If you wish to follow in my footsteps, start on something smaller until you get the hang of this. I've been doing this for a very long time, so I'm skilled in this craft. It will take you years, but I trust that if you do decide to do this that you'll be able to master this within three years." She held up her hand and pointed to her finger tip, "To scale a wall, you'll be using your fingers for a good potion of the time, for you will find more finger holes than foot holes. Arm strength is a good thing to have while you're doing this. Always use the tips of your fingers and never your nails."

She turned back to the wall, then found a good place to begin. Slowly and swiftly, she began to make her way up the wall, "Always use the balls of your feet to help keep you locked to the wall. Don't ever use your whole foot, you could end up sliding." As she continued on her way, she found that once she got closer to the roof that there were fewer places to put her fingers. She had to pause from time to time to find the right place to grip, or she'd fall several feet to the ground. It took awhile, but she was finally able to pull herself up onto the roof. Once up there, she put herself in a crouched position and looked down at the students who were clapping and cheering for her. A slight smile came to her face.

"Ascending up the wall is easy." She called down to them, "Descending…that's a bit of a different story. If anything, this will be the most challenging part. Thus, I advise you to use a smaller wall, in case you fall." She moved a few feet to her left, then reached down and touched the wall. Satisfied with the texture, she allowed herself to hang off the side of the roof as she pushed the balls of her feet up against it, "The balls of your feet will really come in handy for this part." She called as she reached for a finger hole in the wall and got her grip. Slowly, she made her way back down. At one point, she stopped and pressed her body against the wall, "If you think your enemy is coming, get as close to the wall as you can and don't move. Wait for several minutes before continuing on your way." She pushed herself back slightly and kept going. As soon as she was close to the ground, she jumped down. She turned and faced the students as she removed her hood, "Nothing to it."

"That was amazing!" One of the students said.

"Learning that would be really helpful on a mission." Another chimed in.

"You were like a spider! That was unlike anything I've ever seen before!" Another said.

"You must have a super power!" One said.

Vera blushed slightly, "I don't have any special abilities. It's just practice. I live in a one story house, so it makes it easier to practice. Believe me, I've had my fair share of falls in the past."

"You are a really great teacher." Xavier said to her as he rolled his chair towards her, "Your students must have great success."

"Thank you, sir. Sadly, they're just teenagers, so they don't always pay attention. I've kicked several of them off the roofs."

Remy twitched slightly at the thought of it.

Vera caught his action, "It's a lesson. In order to move swiftly, you must learn to move quietly. Jumping across roof tops is the same way. I've been woken up several times by them not being able to land without making a sound, so I just knock them off the roof. It's part of a lot of painful things they go through. I went through a lot of painful shit with Daniel. It's part of being an assassin, but the effort pays off in the end."

"As long as you get your point across, then I don't see anything wrong with it. But, it is true that some teenagers need their butts kicked every so often." Xavier agreed, "Your line of work is very much different from ours."

"For us, it's all about survival and for filling our ancestors legacies. If you're an enemy of our ancestors, then you'd better watch your back because we're coming for you. But, I don't have that problem right now, so all's good. Anyways, I need to head out. Sun's starting to go down."

"I do wish you a safe trip home and a big thanks for the lesson you have provided to my students."

"Thank you, and it's no trouble at all. Though, I'm not responsible if they try and climb the mansion wall and hurt themselves. Just thought I'd point that out." She took a step back and looked at the students, "I wish you all a great evening. If you are in need of my services, don't be afraid to contact me." She spread her arms out and did a slight bow, "I'm honored to be at your service."

Remy watched her, then walked up to her, "Promise you'll come visit me."

Vera smiled slightly and nodded, "Yes, I promise. Give me some time, though. I might need to stick around the camp for awhile. Teaching teenagers is oh so much fun." She moved her pointer finger in a circle.

"Can we watch Da Lord 'a da Rings?"

"Will you be up for doing the extended edition?"

"I…can try."

Vera put her hand on his shoulder, "We'll start out easy, then work our way from there. Don't worry, we can marathon the extended edition when you get use to watching the movies right in a row." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, "I better head off before Lucas gives me hell…like I haven't gotten enough hell from him before."

"Be careful." Remy returned the kiss.

"I will be fine. Don't you worry about me." Vera smiled some more, then headed over to the motorcycle. She got on and looked at the students one last time, "Aloha 'Oe! Until we meet again!" She started up the motorcycle and began to leave the mansion as she could hear them saying their good-byes to her. Once on the main road, she jetted off back to the camp.

Her arrival time was a little under an hour. As she pulled up to the camp, she saw some branches move in a tree above her. She stopped the motorcycle and looked up. She was able to see a shadowy figure moving down towards the wall of the camp. Her eyes widened slightly as she shook her head to the figure up above. Obviously, the figure ignored her intentions and jumped onto the wall before making their way into the camp where they were greeted with the sounds of students ready to attack. She put her head down slightly as she sighed a little.

The gate to the camp opened up and Billy joined her, "Eluveitie's here." He said to her, "And, welcome home."

"Where have you been? I got back here a few hours ago." Vera said over the sound of the motor.

"Went to a concert last night, then spent the night at a hotel, so Lucas wouldn't kill me for walking in late." Billy jumped onto the back of the motorcycle, "Just got back about two hours ago."

"Who did you see?"

"RAMMSTEIN."

Vera turned her head and glared at him, "Lucky! I had tickets…until this mission showed up."

"Relax, I got you some stuff…and some autographs as well."

"I guess I can accept that. Anyways, I think we should head on inside before Eluveitie throws one of them over the wall." She slowly moved the motorcycle towards the gate.

"Sounds like he's winning."

"Doesn't he always?" Vera pulled through the gate and drove off towards her home as the sounds of the students' and Eluveitie's voice were being drowned out by the sound of the motor.

"One of these days, I think you're going to end up killing someone." Vera said as her and Eluveitie walked towards Lucas' office to go into the vault.

"Oh come on! It's fun to watch their reactions, and see how they match up against me." Eluveitie replied as he watched Vera open up the large vault. He followed her inside.

"I'm still waiting to see you drop kick one of them over a wall." Vera walked up to her box, which was larger than the others, and slid it out before unlocking it, "Unless Lucas does it to you first for beating up his students."

Eluveitie laughed, "I'd give anything to see him attempt to pull that on me. Sadly, I think I'm a bit stronger than him, so I don't believe he'll be able to lift me up to accomplish that."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Vera opened up the box and removed the bag. She pulled out the medallion and showed it to him, "So, what do you think?"

Eluveitie stepped up to it and had a look, "I like the rot iron look. The detail is really nice. I'm sure the gem is worth a fortune."

"Too bad no one will be able to get their hands on the gem before it decides to kill them." Vera wrapped the medallion around her hand, then held out her hands to him.

"True." Eluveitie looked at her hands for a moment before taking them in his.

"Are you really that eager to die?"

"I don't believe you'd let that happen to me."

Vera grinned slightly, "No I wouldn't." She gripped his hands slightly, then began to speak in Celtic, "I, Vera, Heir of the Dubhthach family, eldest of this generation of my family, ask that you bestow upon my boyfriend and fellow Assassin, Eluveitie, the gift of immortality. With his loyal heart and proud devotion to our brothers, may he live to serve us for all of time." The medallion began to dim slightly as she spoke, "Though we live counties apart, our love for each other is strong. Unite us, so we may be together until the end of time."

The medallion began to pulse as the warm sensation when through Eluveitie's body first, but a burning, fiery sensation flowed through the two of them. Eluveitie tried hard not to release his grip on her hands and to keep on his feet. Out of all the pain he had felt during his life, this had to be the worst for him. It felt as if lava were flowing through him. Several moments passed and the sensation lifted. Once it had, he dropped to his knees as he panted and breathed heavily.

"What…the hell…was that?!" He asked as he could feel sweat rolling down his face, "Felt like I was in a freaking volcano!"

"Relax, I felt it, too." Vera put the medallion back into the bag, then closed up the box before placing it back. She walked over to him and helped him up, "Did you feel anything before that?"

"A nice warm sensation. Felt like I was getting a massage, or something." He leaned on her slightly as he allowed her to walk him out of the vault.

"The first part of that worked. That's good to know." Vera was able to closed up the vault before leading him out of Lucas' office and back to her home.

"Do I want to know what you did?"

"Well, the first part was granting you the gift of immorality. It seems to have worked. I'll have to do the same for Billy and Torstein, when I see Torstein next."

Eluveitie turned his head to her, "Um…what?"

"I do have the power to control that, so I made you immortal. Don't worry, though, you're not a vampire."

"That's good to hear. I don't think I could live off drinking blood."

"Why do you think I'm in my human form a good portion of the time?" Vera walked up to her home, then opened up the door. She allowed him to enter first before walking in after him and locking the door behind her, "I mean, yes, I do need it, but I'd rather live off human food than blood."

Eluveitie seated himself on the couch next to some bags of food and drinks that he had brought for the movie marathon, "So…what was the other part of that little thing you did?"

"That is a secret and you'll have to wait to find out." Vera walked over to her bedroom, then went inside and locked herself in, so she could change.

"Really? Come on! How long do I have to wait?"

"My little secret." She called from the bedroom, "Now, would you mind closing the curtains? I don't want any sunlight to come in and glaring off the TV."

Eluveitie pushed himself up and walked around closing the curtains as Vera walked out wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a black The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring shirt that she got when the movie came out to theaters. She helped him close up the rest of the curtains, "Did you need to change before we get started?"

"I think I'll be fine." He said as he helped her move the coffee table closer to the couch. He saw that she was not only wearing the Evenstar, but also Arwen's butterfly necklace that he had given her several years back at the premiere of the last The Lord of the Rings movie. It was then that his eyes shot up to the scar on her neck.

Vera watched him, "It's fine. It'll heal."

"I swear if he wasn't part of the Brotherhood, I'd…"

"Get in line. You're not the only one who wants to kill him. It's nothing to worry about. It's healing and it wasn't anything serious. Don't worry about me." She removed the Evenstar and placed it around his neck, "Let's get those movies in."

Eluveitie nodded slightly, even thought his emotions were still all bottled up inside of him. It angered him that Daniel still followed her around and caused her pain. At times, he wished he wasn't part of the Brotherhood, just so he could take Daniel down. But, he was well aware that it would still make him a Templar in their eyes and he would be hunted by them and killed. He tried to push those thoughts to the back of his head as he unpacked one of the bags while Vera put the movie in.

Vera dimmed the lights, then went over to him and seated herself on the couch. She grabbed a blanket that was hanging over the back of it and covered up her legs. She grabbed one of the Monsters that was sitting on the table and opened it. She took a sip of it before placing it back on the table, then opened up a bottle of water, "Ready for this?" She asked.

Eluveitie grabbed the remote for the DVD player, "As ready as I'll ever be." He started the movie.

"Same here. Let's go straight through the movies, then we can watch the extra stuff afterwards."

"Sounds good on my half of the world." Eluveitie grabbed his drink, then wrapped his free arm around her.

"Twelve hours worth of movie, here we come." Vera rested her head on his shoulder and watched as the TV lit up the room.

Empty cans laid on the carpet while opened bags of food sat on the table. Two cups of tea rested on the table as The Return of the King slowly came to an end. Vera had fallen asleep and Eluveitie was having a difficult keeping his eyes open. As he found himself about to drift off, he felt a warm sensation on his left hand. He leaned over Vera slightly to have a look. Appearing on his left ring finger was a mark that looked like Aragon's ring that went all the way around his finger. He sat up a bit more to have a closer look. It was the same color as Vera's henna dream catcher. He had a look a Vera's hand and saw a small version of the Evenstar on her left ring finger with a band attached to it. He turned towards the TV and saw it was the scene with Aragon and Arwen standing before a large group of people, before Frodo and Bilbo headed off on another adventure. He grinned slightly.

"So, that was your little secret, my dear elf." He removed her earring and watched as she changed into a vampire. With closed eye and closed mouth, she looked just like an elf. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. He reached for her hand and laced his fingers in hers, "I love you, too, my dear Arwen." He leaned his head on hers and felt slept starting to consume him, until he heard the sound of the students on top of the roof. His eyes flung open as he quickly released Vera and headed to the door.

Vera woke up when she could heard the students landing upon her roof. She was about to get up until she quickly covered her eyes when Eluveitie opened up the door. As soon as it closed, she listened as he landed on the roof and began to deal with the students himself. She grinned slightly when she heard one of them fall to the ground. As she removed her hand, she saw the mark on her finger. She smiled lightly.

"Guess you found out my little secret, Aragon. Thanks for dealing with them. I need a break." She wrapped the blanket around herself and snuggled up on the couch while listening to the battle up above and the end credit music filling up the room.


	9. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 9

It was around five the next morning when Vera heard her phone going off. She groaned slightly as she rolled over and tried to grab it off her nightstand, only to knock over the book that was sitting on top of it. She let out a sigh of frustration as she kept searching for the object. At the last second, she gripped it in her hand, then answered it.

"The living dead does not like to be awoken at such a horrid hour." She spoke as she rolled over onto her back and stared into the darkness.

"Well, I can say that it's almost ten in the morning here. Guess I forgot about the time zone difference. And, yes, you are the living dead, for real." The person on the other end said.

Vera hissed lightly, "Go to hell!"

"It's hard to believe we need a place called Hell."

"Alright! Now you're just being annoying!"

"What? Don't you like INXS?"

"What do you want, Hawk? You're interrupting my sleep time."

"As if you've never had it interrupted before. Anyways, we might need you down here in Italy for awhile."

"And…what mess have you caused to have me go down there to help you out?"

"Well…um…" Upon hearing an angry hiss and grunt from the other end of the line, Hawk let out a laugh, "I'm only kidding. Look, we found something that might be of interest to you."

"I already found the medallion. As far as I know, there's nothing else that could interest me. Now, let me sleep."

"I'm being serious here, Vera. It's not a Treasure of Eden. This is something much different and I feel that you should have a look at it."

"Then send me a picture. I just got back into town yesterday and I don't think Lucas will let me leave on another trip."

"It's not really something that can be taken with a camera."

"Then talk to Lucas. But, if I get woken up within two hours, I'll be sure to drop kick your ass back to the states."

Hawk laughed, "And, that can be accomplished how?"

"Good night!" Vera hung up before slamming the phone down onto the nightstand. She groaned as she rolled over onto her side and placed the pillow upon her head, "Next time, I'm turning my phone on silent, so no one can disturb me while I sleep."

Three hours passed by and Vera was quickly awoken by a knock on upon the front door. Her eyes flung open as she turned and grabbed her phone to check the time. While it had been over two hours, she still wanted to sleep till at least eleven. She glared at her bedroom door and screamed through it, hoping the person at the front door could hear here, "The living dead does not want to be awoken till late morning! Come back then!" She rolled over and placed the pillow upon her head again and gripped it tightly as she heard the door open up and someone ascending towards her bedroom. Within moments, the door opened up.

"I have orders from Lucas to come and get you." Sarah replied to her.

Vera let out a loud groan, "It can wait!"

"I'm not really sure it can."

Vera quickly sat up and threw her pillow to the side as she stared at Sarah with angry, blood shot eyes, "Let me guess, Hawk sent a message his way, didn't he?"

"H-how did you know?"

"By the God of the Highlands, I'm going to drop kick his ass back to the states for disturbing my sleep!"

"Vera, you know I don't wish to cause you trouble, but I really think you should go see Lucas to see what Hawk wants of you."

Vera threw the covers to the side as she slowly slid out of bed, "Give me an hour. That'll be enough time for me to calm down and clean up."

"And…remove your 'contacts' as well?"

Vera turned her head slowly, then gave Sarah a look that made the inside of her body tremble with fear, "Yessssss." She hissed under her breath, "Now, be gone!" She pointed to the door and watched Sarah flee with fear. She sighed a little, then made her way to the bathroom.

An hour passed and Vera was walking towards Lucas' favorite outdoor spot. She was clad in black and wore a cape with the hood up. She seated herself across from him, then noticed that Eluveitie was standing near by, shaded by the tree that he was leaning against. She turned her attention to Lucas, "The living dead is not pleased by this."

"The living dead should, also, respect their elders, even when they are tired." Lucas replied.

"Excuse me, I didn't realize that I wasn't an elder, sir."

"You know what I mean, Vera. Anyways, it seems that Hawk and his team are in need of your assistance down in Italy. You have my permission to go."

"Sir, I'm not sure what they found, as Hawk won't send a picture of 'said item', but I'm pretty sure it's not part of my family. That medallion is the real thing. I highly doubt they found something that might be similar to it. I already told him that on the phone."

"Are you sure there isn't anything else within your family that could possess power that the Templars might want?"

"As far as I know, no. Unless someone's been keeping a secret from me. My family did a great job of telling me things, didn't they?" She said in a sarcastic voice, "No, seriously, I don't know.

"Then, I think it would be wise of you to head down there. Even if it means nothing to you or your family, I'm sure you could be of some help to them to locate the object of importance."

"So, I take it I have your permission to go?"

"Of course. And, I hope you don't mind that I send Eluveitie down with you. To make sure you don't cause any damage to one of our fellow Assassins."

Vera grinned slightly, "I'll try my best. When do we leave?"

"Lucky you, tonight. It's a straight flight there."

"Works for me."

Around eight that night, the two of them arrived at the air port. Upon checking in their bags and going through security-which didn't take long do to the low amount of people flying-and having their passports checked, they headed to the terminal and waited to board the plane. Less than an hour later, they were on board and on their way to Florence, Italy. Eluveitie had quickly fallen asleep while Vera listened to some music on her iPhone while drawing Supernatural symbols on her arm with a Sharpie. As soon as she ran out of room, she turned to face Eluveitie, then grabbed his arm and started to draw on it as well. He didn't stir while she did so. Once she ran out of room on his arm, she pulled out her book and began to read until she felt the effects of sleep starting to consume her. It wasn't until they were an hour away from Florence that she found herself beginning to wake from her sleep. She turned her head a little to see Eluveitie staring at her.

"What?" She asked as she yawned slightly, "Are we there yet?"

"By any chance, where you bored last night?" Eluveitie questioned her.

"Purrrrhaps. Why?"

"I don't remember getting any tattoos from that TV show you like." Eluveitie pointed to his arm, "You know I love you, but really? And, with Sharpie?"

"It'll wash off in a day or two." Vera leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, "Just be glad it wasn't real ink. Though, I did go over my one tattoo with the Sharpie. It looks good." She held out her wrist to show him, "Might have to get it redone when we get back."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Eluveitie returned the kiss, "You know, you could have drawn on your pants since it appears they've taken some 'beating'."

Vera looked down at the high waisted bell bottom pants she had on. It appeared that she had thrown colorful paint onto them at one point in time. There were even a few hippy looking patches covering up spots where the pants were starting to rip. She looked back at him before leaning over and whispering to him, "I wore these pants to Woodstock back in the day. Best time of my life! Just wanted to add some color to them." She leaned back and said, "And, no. I'd never draw on these."

"Just a suggestion, so you don't draw on me again next time."

"What, you don't like my art work?" Vera looked at him with big, sad eyes.

"I do…I just don't want Sharpie art work on me. Just tattoo like art work."

"I get what you mean. But, like I said, it will come off, so no worries."

The plane landed in the lovely city of Florence and the two of them departed as soon as the plane reached the gate. They headed towards baggage claim, picked up their bags, then took a taxi to a nearby hotel, which Hawk had reserved a room for them. Once they checked in and went to their room, which was on the third floor, there was a note waiting for them on one of the two beds within with a time and location listed on it. Vera stared at the note for awhile almost feeling like she recognized the address, but wasn't sure how. Night had fallen upon the city and the streets were starting to clear. The two of them, clad in black with their signature hoods, made their way to the location, slipping in and out of the shadows around them. About fifteen minutes passed and they were outside a villa that had been board up. They lingered in the shadows until they spotted Hawk along with three other people, two females and one male, approaching the villa. They stepped out of the shadows and walked up to them.

"I see you've had a safe trip." Hawk said as he stepped up to them, "And, I see you've brought an escort with you."

"So I wouldn't kill you for that little trick you pulled on me." Vera replied as she removed her hood, "Though, I'm sure I'd be able to send you back to America in one piece. I still have the urge to drop kick you there."

Hawk laughed, then placed a hand on her shoulder, "If only that were possible. But, we do have business to discuss."

"It could be possible if I want it to be. But, anyways, we should." She looked at the three people standing on the porch behind him. She removed his hand, then walked up to him, "So, I'm guessing this is the group you've been helping since I saw you last?"

Hawk nodded as he stepped up to her, "Yes. This is Desmond." He pointed to the man before pointing to a girl with long blonde hair, "This is Lucy, and that's Rebecca." He pointed to the other girl, who had short dark brown hair, "They were searching for one of the Treasures of Eden and it is now under Assassin control."

"Well, I congratulate you on your success." Vera said to them as she bowed slightly, "I'm sure you all haven't heard of me. I'm Vera, one of several Master Assassins in this world." She turned slightly, "This is Eluveitie. He's from a camp in Finland. He, too, is a Master Assassin."

Eluveitie stepped close to them and removed his hood, "It is an honor to meet fellow brothers." He said as he bowed to them.

Desmond looked at them with a slight bit of confusion on his face, "Um…is this some kind of formal greeting I was never told about?"

"It is a sign of respect. I see you haven't learned much about being a true Assassin." Vera said to him.

"Before we go any further with this, I think we should head on inside. There could be Templars watching and listening to what we're saying." Hawk warned.

"Of course." Vera looked at the boarded up door, "Now, how to get inside?"

"I don't believe there is a way." Lucy said, "We were here the other night. It's almost impossible to get into."

Vera turned her head slightly towards Lucy, "Hun, nothing is impossible." She put her hood up, then moved to the side of the villa.

Curious, Desmond followed after her. He rounded the corner just in time to see her scaling the wall. His eyes widened as he watched her do the same moves he had seen his ancestors do when he was in the animus. He saw her push on a board of a window on the top floor, which fell in with ease, then watched as she vanished within the building. Several moments later, he heard the sound of a board starting to break loose near by. He turned to see the board in front of the door come loose, then open up.

"Come on in, quickly!" Vera said in a low voice and watched as they all passed through the entryway. Checking to make sure there was no one around, she moved the board back into place.

"Um…where are we?" Demond asked as he looked around the large, dusty villa. He stepped into a room that appeared to have once been a living room. The furniture was starting to rot away and reeked of age. He noticed that this was the room Vera had entered.

"We are at the villa that was owned by Ezio." Lucy replied, "Probably should have mentioned that to you the other day. My apologies."

"Not much left, is there?" Rebecca asked as she walked around the room looking at an old painting that had faded with time and was covered in dust and cobwebs.

"This should do." Vera said as she turned to face them, "Please, have a seat."

"Where? If we sit on the furniture, it's sure to break beneath our weight." Desmond said as he walked over to the couch and gently kicked it. Just the slight tap from his foot caused one of the legs to break.

"The floor should do nicely." Vera allowed herself to sit down on the dusty floor as if it were nothing, "I would like to get down to business."

The rest of them seated themselves in a circle around her. Hawk pulled three candles out from his jacket and placed them in the center of the circle. He pulled out a lighter and lit them.

"Oh! We're doing a ritual are we? Sounds like fun. Haven't done one in ages."

"Very funny." Hawk replaced the lighter, then pulled out some old parchment paper and passed it to her, "This is what we found. We're hoping you can provide us with some answers."

Vera took the paper, then opened it up. Inside was a drawing of a knife with edges along one section of the blade with a faded gem on the hilt. There was writing, in Celtic and in another language, all over the paper. She studied it, "Where did you find this?"

"Within a file that we received." Rebecca said, "We thought Hawk might know, but it's obvious that he doesn't. It's not one of the Treasures of Eden that we're looking for."

"Well, you're not wrong about that." Vera replied as she read the writing, "As far as I can tell, I think it's from Ireland. I recognize some of the writing that's not here, but not all of it. Though, I'm not sure if it's from my family or not. I've never heard or seen anything like this before."

Eluveitie, who was sitting to her right, leaned over to have a look, "It looks like one of the weapons from that TV show you watch."

"Supernatural? Yes, it does look like the Ruby Knife, but this one has more edges on the blade." Vera studied the drawing itself, more than the writing.

"So, it's a knife that kills the supernatural?" Desmond asked.

Lucy looked at him, "There's no such thing as the supernatural. Why would a knife be made to kill one?"

Hawk bit his lip as he tried to hold back a snicker.

"Depends on what religion you're talking about." Vera said as she held the paper up to the candle light, "There is more than one religion in this world, you know. Some do believe that the supernatural exists. It's up to you to decide what you want to believe."

"What if I believe in one God?" Desmond asked her, "And, what if I believe that angels walk amongst us?"

"That's fine by me. I don't judge others by their beliefs. Personally, I like to keep an open mind about all of this. But, that's just me." Vera kept studying the paper as she tilted it back and forth slightly, "I'm still at a bit of a loss here. I understand some of the writing, but…it looks a little weird."

"Weird as in…?"

"Like the person either made a mistake and tried to erase it, or tried to write over it." Vera held it closer to one of the candles, "This is just too strange."

"May I see it?" Eluveitie asked. Upon accepting it from Vera, he studied it for a moment before turning it over and holding it to the candle, "This seems interesting. It almost looks like the map I gave you."

"What?" Vera leaned over to have a look, "Holy crap, it does!"

"But, the paper feels thicker. I'm guessing there's two pieces stuck together." He moved the paper away from the candle and waved it slightly, "Sounds like it."

Vera took the paper back, then held it back up to the candle, "There's defiantly two pages glued together. It would be impossible to separate them without ruining both of them. What's on the other page…I don't know. I need better light than this."

"If we use the fire place, then we're sure to be noticed." Lucy said, "On top of the fact that we have nothing to burn."

"I think we should head back to the hotel. We should be able to talk there in privacy."

"And, we can have some of that wine I left for you." Hawk said.

Vera and Eluveitie looked at each other for a second, then back at Hawk with confused looks on their faces.

"I'm guessing you didn't check the fridge."

"Um…no. And, you know I don't drink." Vera replied.

"Hey, is it just me, or is there a drift somewhere in here?" Rebecca asked as she started to rub her arms.

"Feels like the temperature dropped." Desmond could feel shivers going up and down his spin even though he had his hoodie on.

"It's not even that cold outside. What the heck is going on?" Lucy looked around.

Vera looked at the candles to see that their flames were lowering, but weren't burning out. Slowly, she stood up and moved around the room as she listened. She looked at the doorway when she thought she heard a voice. Within moments, the flames were low on the wicks and the room grew colder, the voice got louder, but she wasn't sure if the others could hear it. She looked at Hawk, "Turn that lighter on."

"Why?" Hawk asked as he rubbed his hands together to try and keep them warm.

"There's a spirit in here and that's why the room has grown cold. Spirits gain their energy from heat. The more heat, the more energy they'll have. I have a feeling this spirit might be of some help to us."

Hawk removed the lighter and lit it. Within moments, it dimmed just like the candles.

Vera slowly moved about the room as she followed the voice. She wasn't too far from the fireplace when an old goblet fell off the mantle. She stopped and watched as it rolled on the floor and came to a stop. She glanced up feeling that the spirit was right in front of her. She held up her hand in front of her, then felt it being touched by the spirit. Slowly, she closed her fingers as she kept her eyes in front of her. A slight smile came to her face when she heard the spirit speak and she was able to recognize two names. She gave herself a moment before replying, since her Italian was a bit rusty.

"My apologize, Mr. Auditore, but I'm not Kida." She spoke in Italian, "She has long since passed, back in the early 1700's. My name is Vera, I'm a relative of hers."

The group all glanced at each other trying to figure out who she was speaking to and what was going on. They turned their attention back towards her.

Vera smiled a bit more when she heard his reply, "I wouldn't be too surprised if I do look a bit like her. We apologize for 'dropping in', but we needed a place to speak in privacy." She allowed her hand to drop and lead him over to the group. She seated herself on the floor, then picked up the paper and showed it to him, "Do you know anything about this?"

Desmond's heart almost stopped when he saw the outline of the spirit in the dim candle light. He closed his eyes and began to pray within his mind, hoping that this was just a dream.

The spirit studied the drawing, then pointed to the gem on the hilt of the knife. The page moved when the spirit touched it.

"I figured as much." Vera said, then turned the page over and held it up to the candle light again, "Do you know about this gem?" She listened to the spirit, then nodded slightly, "Do you know what it does?"

The group all stared at each other not sure what to make of the scene before them. Desmond was still in prayer mode. They could see the spirit was kneeled in front of Vera and could see that it was indeed Ezio Auditore. Rebecca almost felt like fainting, but Lucy kept her up by putting her arm around Rebecca.

Vera nodded a little, "I see. Do you know where we might be able to locate it?" She listened, then nodded again, "Very well. We'll check there. Thank you for the help. It's much appreciated." She looked up at the others as she noticed the spirit moving, "What?" She asked them in English.

"What…the…?" Hawk asked.

"That was Ezio. I don't need a Ouija board to speak to spirits. It's part of my 'special talent'." She heard the spirit chuckle a little. She turned her head in that direction for a second before looking back at them, "Anyways, it appears that Ezio knew one of my relatives, Kida, and she had the gem that's on the knife. Apparently, it does have the power to kill the supernatural, but can kill humans as well. It's activated with a spell."

"So, it's not apart of the knife itself?" Elvueitie questioned as he leaned over and looked back at the paper.

"It might not be, but that doesn't mean that there was a knife made for it."

"Where do we start our search?"

"Ezio said there's a cathedral in Rome that has a secret vault. He thinks it might be there."

"And, if it's not…?" Lucy asked while Rebecca fanned herself with her hand.

"Then, we head to Ireland. That's the only other place I can think to look."

"So, are we headed to Rome then?"

"Not just yet. We should go to the hotel first. I still want to study this."

"And, I'm guessing you want us to…" Lucy quickly turned her head when she heard a banging sound.

"What the…?!" Desmond quickly opened his eyes.

"Templars." Vera hissed under her breath as she quickly jumped to her feet, "Eluveitie, take them and get out of here! Hawk, you stick around with me!"

"Why me?!" Hawk quickly got up.

"Because I'm the last person who'd use a gun. Plus, you dragged me into this. Eluveitie, get them to the hotel. The two of us will meet you there."

Eluveitie grabbed the paper before springing to his feet, then helped Lucy and Rebecca up. He lead them to the stairs that went to the second floor. Desmond was quick to follow after them.

Vera watched them, then moved to the entryway of the room, "Ready for this, Hawk?"

"Gun at the ready." Hawk already had his gun in his hand and it was ready to fire when the Templars decided to fire at them.

Eluveitie ran into one of the rooms on the left side, then knocked the board off the window. He looked down to see that they were safe. He looked up to see the roof wasn't too high up, "This way." He said.

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Lucy asked.

"They'll see us for sure." Rebecca said.

"No they won't! Just follow after me." Eluveitie climbed onto the ledge, then pulled himself onto the roof. He leaned over, "You all have to come, now."

"I think you're crazy!" Lucy called to him as she climbed out onto the ledge.

"I think your ancestors would consider that disrespectful." Eluveitie held his hand out, "Now, let's go!"

Lucy felt offended by the comment, but, at the same time, she didn't have the training that Eluveitie had. She took his hand and allowed him to help her up. She stayed low on the roof and watched as he helped Rebecca up, then Desmond. She looked in the distance and saw where their van was parked, which appeared to be safe, "Over there." She whispered as she pointed in the direction.

Eluveitie looked, then nodded a little, "Then, that's where we're headed."

"How?!" Rebecca asked as she listened to the pounding from the opposite side of the villa.

Eluveitie grinned slightly, "Leap of Faith!"

"What?!"

"I'm just joking. We're going to jump across the roofs. Simple, right?"

"No! Not simple!"

"If you have the blood of an Assassin, then it'll be easy. Once you start doing something that your ancestors did, you pick up on it quickly. Just follow my lead and you'll be fine." Eluveitie stood, then backed up. He waited for just a moment before taking off and jumping to the next building. He turned and looked back at them.

"This…is going to suck…so much!"

"Better out here than inside. I just hope those two can manage on their own." Lucy replied as she took a deep breath and slowly let it out, "Alright, here goes nothing." She stepped back, looked across the way at Eluveitie, then ran and jumped.

Inside, the pounding got louder and louder and the board was starting to break. Hawk stood up against the wall as he watched the board carefully, gun at the ready. Vera was across the way from him on the other side of the entryway. Her blade was out and ready for the attack. Just as the Templars were about to succeed in breaking down the board, she felt something on her shoulder and looked up. She felt Ezio's spirit tap her on the shoulder, then take her hand. She felt the hilt of a sword being placed in it. She glanced down for a moment, then carefully ran her hand along the invisible blade to see how long the sword was. With a slight grin, she flicked her wrist and allowed the blade to retract into the bracer. Just the Templars succeeded in breaking the board down, she stepped into the dark hallway and watched as one of the three men entered. She saw the red cross upon the man's chest, then looked him in the eyes.

"Halt! Who goes there?!" The man called to her in Italian as he pointed his gun at her.

Vera cocked her head slightly, "Excuse me, but I don't understand Italian." She began her advance towards the man, dodging the bullets with ease, then slashed the invisible sword across the Templar's chest. She moved out of the way and watched.

While the man had no idea what was going on, he began to feel a very sharp and horrid pain shooting through his body. With a loud yell that echoed throughout the abandon villa, he fell to the ground and was quickly over come with the blackness of death. Within seconds he was dead.

Vera watched as she moved back a little more, then looked at the other two men standing outside of the doorway. She could see that they were both in shock at what had just happened. But, it wasn't until one of them spoke of their fallen man that her blood began to boil over.

"Witch!" One of them shouted in Italian.

"Witchcraft! She's a witch!" The other replied.

Vera's eyes quickly flashed red at the sound of that, "Excuse me?! Did you call me a witch?!"

Hawk peeked out when he heard the man yell and watched him fall to his death. Upon hearing Vera's comment, he grinned slightly to himself knowing that those two Templars had made a huge mistake in the manner they decided to address the situation with. He watched.

Ezio was just as amused by Vera's reaction to the comments of the Templars. If only he could be seen. The look on his face matched that of Hawk's and he was pretty much thinking that those two Templars were about to have the hell beat out of them.

The two Templars heard Vera's enraged voice and quickly turned to her, guns at the ready.

"I'm not a witch!" Vera hissed angrily as she began her assault on the enemy, who tried to slow her down with gun fire. She was stuck by one of the bullets, but kept up her advance. She sliced one of them across the neck and the other she stabbed through the heart. Their voices rang out as they fell to the ground, dead within moments. She panted heavily, "I'm no witch! I'm a vampire! How dare you insult me in such a manner!" She turned her head slightly when she heard the spirit address her. With a slight hiss she spoke in a low voice, "Rest in peace…"

"That was incredible!" Hawk stepped out of the shadows as he put his gun away, "How did you do that?!"

"Ezio offered me his sword. It killed their spirits, which killed them in turn." Vera placed her hand on the blade near the hilt, then held it out. When she felt Ezio grip it, she released the blade, "That was the most fun I've had in a long while. I thank you for allowing me to use that." She spoke to the spirit as she bowed. Once she rose, she felt the spirits lips touch hers. Her face flushed slightly, "You are too flattering, Ezio." A smile came to her face, "We must leave. I'm sure they'll have back up coming soon. Farewell for now." She headed towards the stairs and ran up them.

"Hey! Where are you going?!" Hawk called as he dashed after her.

"We're using the roofs to get to the hotel. Need to stay out of Templar sight as much as possible." She saw a light coming from one of the rooms, then ran inside. She saw the window where the others had escaped from. She went over to it, "I'm guessing you can run across the roofs without falling off."

Hawk was quickly on her tail and within seconds in the room. He watched her climb out and onto the roof, "You know, you could have let me answer your question before you decided to leave." He said, then followed after her. Soon, he was on the roof standing next to her. He looked in the direction of the hotel, "We go that way." He pointed.

Vera nodded slightly, "Then, let's be out of here." Within moments, she was flying across the roof tops and sailing over the alleyways below.

Hawk sighed a little as he watched her, "I'm really getting too old for this." He said before following after her, even though his moves weren't as quick and graceful like hers.


	10. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 10

Eluveitie and the others had made it to the hotel without any issues. They waited about fifty minutes until there was a knock on the door. Eluveitie stared at it for several moments before rising to his feet and going over to it. Slowly, he opened up the door, then saw Hawk keeping a wounded Vera on her feet as she held her side.

"Someone forgot they were wounded…about five roof tops from the hotel." Hawk said to him as he helped Vera into the room, "Do you have any idea what kind of hell it was to get down to ground level?"

"Last I remember, you took us down a fire escape." Vera replied to him as she allowed herself to lean against the wall.

"You almost lost consciousness, that made it harder than it had to be. We could have just darted out the front door."

"And risk being seen by any Templars who might have been around for back up, or were on their way? I think not!"

"How bad is it?" Eluveitie questioned as he walked up to her to have a look.

"Gun shot wound, nothing serious."

"You look pale." Desmond put in, "Perhaps you should have that tended to before you pass out."

"She almost did pass out. I'm glad I got us down when I did, or we'd probably be stuck on that damn roof." Hawk replied as he walked over to the small refrigerator, then opened up. He pulled out the bottle of wine that was inside, "I need a drink after all of this."

"Was that last remark suppose be an insult?" Vera questioned.

"Alright, before you two rip each other apart." Eluveitie examined the wound, "Close hit, from what I can see. That's going to need a bit of work."

Vera looked up at him with weak eyes and mouthed to him, 'I think not.'

"Rebecca and I can help treat her." Lucy went over to them, then helped Vera into the bathroom, "We should have some medical supplies in the van."

"I think she's going to need more help than that." Eluveitie replied as he watched Rebecca dart past him and out of the room.

"Eluveitie, please, let the girls help out." Vera said to him as she seated herself on the floor, then leaned against the wall, "I don't think it should be much of an issue for them."

Eluveitie nodded slightly and waited for Rebecca to return. Once she did, he locked the door, then went over to one of the beds and seated himself. He watched at the door to the bathroom closed, then sighed a little, "She's stubborn."

"No kidding." Hawk took a sip of the wine, "Woo! Shit! This has a kick to it! What some?" He offered the glass to Eluveitie.

"No, that's fine."

Desmond shook his head when Hawk tried to offer it to him, "I…don't drink much."

"So, how did things go, besides her getting shot?" Eluveitie asked.

"Never better. You should have seen how she beat the heck out of those guys! It was unbelievable!" Hawk replied before having some more of the drink.

"Hawk! Shut your mouth!" Vera called to him.

"There's no way you can hear me from all the way over there."

"Would I have even called you out if I couldn't?"

"Would you two give it a rest, please?" Eluveitie asked as he laid back on the bed. He pulled out the paper from his pocket, then held it up, "It's really hard to tell if this is even suppose to be part of the knife or not."

"It seems that Ezio's seen it before. I think he would have told her if it was suppose to be part of a weapon." Hawk said.

"But, even if it is, what would it do?" Desmond questioned, "I mean, I understand that the gem is suppose to kill…um…'supernatural' things, but how does it tie in with the weapon?"

"Random guess; the gem needs to touch the supernatural figure, which means that the person wielding it would need to get close to that figure. The weapon would keep the person at a far enough distance, until the person wants to throw the weapon, in which case, they'd better be damn good at knife throwing." Eluveitie mused.

"I guess that would make sense. So, what happens if we don't find this thing the first time around?"

"Guess someone's going to have a session in the animus."

"But, would we have time for that? The Templars are probably going to be scouting the city like crazy. Plus, who knows how fast they'll pass the information to neighboring cities."

"Florence isn't that close to Rome. If anything, we should be able to stay a good step or two ahead of them."

"There's one in the van we've been traveling in. Perhaps we could make use of that." Desmond said.

"I think we should wait till we know if the gem is inside the cathedral before we decide to make use of the animus."

"Do you even realize how many cathedrals there are in Rome? How do we know which one to go to?" Hawk asked.

"My guess…we start at the one the Pope's in. After all, the Pope has been known to side with the Templars, even though there's a few Cardinals who are secret spies for the Assassins." Eluveitie sat up once he heard the door to the bathroom open up. He saw Lucy come out first while Rebecca helped Vera.

"You weren't kidding. That was a pretty bad wound. But, she should be alright." Lucy said to him.

"I didn't think I got hit that bad. But, then again, I was a bit enraged by something I heard that didn't sit too well with me." Vera replied as Rebecca helped her over to Eluveitie, then sat down.

"Someone called her a…" Hawk ducked out the way when he saw a jacket being thrown his way.

"Shove it!" Vera glared at him, then put her hand on her side, "Great! Another piece of ink that needs to be touched up. Why do people enjoy ruining my ink?!"

"Perhaps you should have kept your tattoos to a limit."

"You are so not helping my situation right now."

"Before this gets out of hand, we talked things through and think the best place to start is the cathedral that the Pope's in. Assuming the Templars want to make use of this gem, it'd probably be there in their possession." Eluveitie said as he handed the paper to her.

Vera took it, then held it up to the lamp closest to them. She turned the paper over, "If only I could read backwards…too bad that's not going to happen. Plus, I can still see the writing from the other page. This has been covered up very well. I'm impressed, but pissed off at the same time."

"If that's the only way to trick the enemy, then you can't really be upset about it."

"I've realized that. Alright, we're just going to say that this gem is the only thing we're looking for. If there is a knife or some kind of weapon that goes with it, then we'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to get the gem. As far as I can tell, it's just to kill off the supernatural, not sure if it'll do much harm to mortals or not. If someone does find it, make sure to wear gloves when handling it. I don't want someone getting hurt or killed because of this thing."

"I, maybe, have a dumb question…how are we going to get into the cathedral and where is this vault?" Desmond asked.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not like we can just walk right in." Rebecca added, "They'll know that something's up."

"Hawk, do you have the layout of the city?" Vera asked.

Hawk reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out an old map. He passed it to her, "There's a series of tunnels that run under the city. Back in ancient times, they were used as a transportation system. Now, the tunnels belong to the Assassins, for only we know where the entrance is. There are other ways in and out of the tunnels, some leading to the streets while others lead to buildings."

"Sounds familiar, doesn't it?" Eluveitie added as he watched Vera unfold the map and lay it out on the bed in front of them.

Vera nodded slightly, "Just like the tunnel system in New Orleans. I'm going to guess that every city has a system like this." She leaned forward slightly to have a better look, "I see at least two exits by the cathedral and it looks like one leads into it. Where it'll lead us to once we get inside…no idea."

"Sounds like we'll need to be on our guard then. Who knows if there'll be anyone roaming about inside." Lucy replied as she looked at the map, "If we get caught, we're going to have to make a break for it."

"I would suggest parking the van somewhere near one of the entrances, but not close enough to it that the Templars can pick up what's going on. If we need to hightail it out of there, then we need to be able to move quickly, but swiftly."

"And…what if we do get caught before we have a chance to get to the vault?" Rebecca asked.

Vera looked up at them, "Then, we do what we Assassins do, stand our ground and kick some Templar ass."

It was close to eleven that evening when the group departed for their rooms. Vera was busy changing in the bathroom while Eluveitie studied the drawing a bit more. Vera was taking longer than normal mainly because of her wound and the fact that she was still feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Do you really believe that there's a weapon out there that's connect to this gem?" He called to her.

"Hell if I know. Might need a session in the animus before we begin this mission. I hope I can get some more information about this." She replied, "Who knows, it could go to a blade on a bracer. That I would gladly take."

"But, if the gem is meant to harm creatures like you, wouldn't it wound you?"

"Not as long as I wear gloves. I hope I brought some with me because I'm a little scared to touch that thing."

"Perhaps having the session will give you an idea of how that thing works. It could be like the medallion and react differently to you than it would to an enemy."

"We'll see." Vera opened up the door and stepped out wearing a pair of black and white shorts with a matching Supernatural tank top. She threw her clothes to the side by her bag, "Just wish my family would have informed me about all of this stuff. It sucks to have to figure this all out on my own."

"Even if they didn't want you to become an Assassin, they still should have filled you in on some stuff."

"Ya think?" Vera crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, "As far as I know, there's a vault somewhere in Ireland that has a whole mess of items in it that belong to my family. Once we get that gem, we're taking it to that vault. Whatever's in there that I might find useful, I'm going to take it and my family isn't going to stop me."

Elvueitie turned his head and looked at her. Slowly, he rose to his feet and moved towards her, "I thought you didn't want to go to Ireland because your parents will try to get you to stay."

"They wouldn't be able to make me stay, not when I have fellow Assassins with me. Plus…" Vera reached out and took his hand and held it tightly, "…I think they'll be a little pissed about what I did with the medallion." She glanced down at their hands looking at the marks on their ring fingers. She grinned slightly, "Like I care what they think. I just broke our family 'curse' of me having to marry Daniel and did a taboo all at the same time." She looked up at him with the grin still on her face, "Oops!"

"Taboo? What taboo?"

"I'm a vampire. I'm suppose to be with a vampire, but I'm not. I'm with a human, or now immortal. As if I really care. I see it this way; I'm happy about the path I took in life despite what my parents might have wanted. My loyalties are with the Brotherhood and my heart belongs to you, and that's the way things will stay."

"And, what happens if they catch us there going through that vault?"

"Then we stand our ground against them. I'm not worried about them because I know that the six of us will be enough to frighten them off. While I'm a bit iffy about the training that Desmond, Lucy and Rebecca have, I do trust that their true sides will show. And, when that happens, my family will back down. The only thing that I have to give Daniel's family credit for is keeping their loyalties with the Brotherhood. My family…not so much. They aren't Templars, they just…" Vera turned her head away as she bit her lip a little, "…don't want to put in the work that goes along with this, I guess is the best word for it."

"They've done their time and now they just want to live peaceful lives."

Vera looked back at him and nodded, "Yes…that. But, it scares me because I remember learning about Nikolai Orelov and how he wanted to settle down with his family and the Brotherhood came after him and his family. I don't want the same to happen to my family. That's why I keep my loyalties strong, so they'll know not to go after my family."

Eluveitie placed his hand under Vera's chin and moved her head so she was looking him in the eyes, "There's much more to Nikolai's story than just that. Russia was in a rough time and he pretty much abandoned his country when he was needed most. I understand why you're worried about your family, but as long as they didn't do anything to cause the Mentor to go after them, then they'll be fine." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Just keep doing what you're doing and don't worry about them."

Vera smiled slightly as a tear rolled down her cheek, "You're right." She let go of his hand, then hugged him tightly, "All I can say is that I'm glad I have you in my life, and I'm glad you'll never leave it."

Eluveitie held her close to him as he rocked her slightly, "Whether I'm in Finland, or right by your side, I'll always be with you, forever." He kissed the top of her head.

Vera smiled more as she allowed the moment to set before looking over at the nightstand between the two beds and seeing the paper laying on it. She was about to release herself from him to go have a look at it until she felt him move her to the bed. She seated herself and looked up at him.

"No more work for you tonight. You've already had a long day. Rest up and we'll continue in the morning."

Vera glanced over her shoulder slightly, then looked up at him and nodded a little, "You're right, I should get some rest." She placed her hand on her side, "Just hope I'll be able to do this without the wound interfering."

"You should really see a doctor about that." Eluveitie seated himself next to her.

"I can't and you know why. Someone will find out about my true side and all hell will break lose." She sighed a little, "Just glad the Brotherhood understands." She raised her shirt up slightly to have a look at the bandage that was wrapped all the way around her, "Yep…I'm going to have to get some ink redone."

Eluveitie watched her, then placed his hand on her side gently, "It'll still look good either way."

"I hope you're right." Vera watched him, then looked at his back, "Can I see the sword?"

Eluveitie waited for a moment before removing his hand, then taking off his shirt.

Vera moved behind him and ran her fingertips gently down his back as she looked at Aragorn's sword which was tattooed there. The hilt started halfway up his neck, fanning out to his shoulder blades and running down his spin, where it stopped just above the tail bone. On his right side, she spotted the writing on The One Ring running from the top of his rib cage all the way down to the top of his hip. She glanced at it for a moment before looking back at the sword, "It still looks great even after all these years."

"No touch up?"

"Not that I can see." She removed her hand, then moved the hair behind his left ear to see a small tattoo that was the symbol of the Brotherhood. She looked at it for several long moments before laying down on the bed. She felt a little dizzy and felt like she was getting a headache. She rolled over onto her back and buried her head in the pillow. She groaned a little, "I wish I had pain meds with me…or some Excedrin."

"Sleep should help you to feel better." Eluveitie turned slightly as he watched her.

"Give me a day and I'll be better."

"I'm afraid we don't have a day. By that time, news of the deaths of the Templars will have gotten out and they'll be on the look out for whoever did it." Eluveitie moved closer to her, then lifted the back of her shirt up slightly and began to massage her back.

Vera turned her head slightly, so she was looking away from the light coming from the nightstand, "You have a point there. Just hope I'll be able to kick some ass when the time comes."

"You should be able to. Now, tell me, how did you kill those Templars?"

Vera grinned slightly, "Besides me going a-wall on them? I killed them with the sword Ezio gave me."

"I want to know how you were able to hear him and touch him."

"I'm the living dead, I have no soul. When a spirit touches someone, they're touching their spirit or soul. Since I have neither, I'm able to feel their touch physically. Same holds true with their voice, I can hear it while others can't and would need an Ouija board or crystal ball to hear what they have to say."

"How did you kill them with a weapon that you can't even see?"

"I just used it like a normal sword, only it doesn't wound them physically, it wounds their spirits…well, it killed their spirits, I should say, which, in turn, killed them. When your spirit is wounded, then you become wounded. When it is killed, you're killed. The Templars that are going to find them are going to have a hell of a time trying to figure out how they were killed."

"And, what did they say to you that pissed you off?"

"After I killed the first one, the others called me a 'witch' and said that I did some kind of witch craft. Apologizes, but I'm not a witch and that's a personal insult to a vampire. That's like calling us a werewolf. So, yah, I kind of went a-wall on them for calling me that."

"Then, I'll be sure to never call you a witch. But, my I call you an elf?"

Vera turned her head slightly, so she was looking at him and said, "I shall let that one slide."

"I would hope so, for the only things that you can really be in Middle Earth are an elf, a dwarf, a hobbit, a man, an orc or a wizard."

"I'll stick with elf. And, what might you be?"

Eluveitie grinned slightly, "Well, seeing as how I'm not human anymore, I suppose I'd be an elf as well. Wonder who's fault that was?" He leaned down and kissed the back of her neck gently.

Vera glared at him slightly, "If I were a fox, I'd hit you with my tail."

"And, what have I done to deserve that?"

"You know what you did."

"I'm afraid I haven't the slightest idea." Eluveitie kissed her neck again.

"Ok, now you're being a jerk."

"Just trying to make you feel better, is all." Eluveitie gently laid down on top of her and rested his head on her upper back. He put his hands on top of hers laced his fingers through hers.

Vera took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she allowed her fingers to curl onto his, "Do you plan to fall asleep like this?"

"Perhaps. Why?"

Vera smiled lightly as she rested her head on the pillow and closed her eyes, "Because you're nice and warm. And, I don't want you to leave me."

"If you wish to stay this way all night, then so be it." Eluveitie turned his head slightly to have a look at the clock on the nightstand. It was well after midnight and he had promised Hawk that they'd meet up with them for breakfast at about nine in the morning, "What about the lights?"

"Leave them for now." Vera let out a yawn, "You can turn them off later."

"Of course. Have a good rest."

"Same to you."

Eluveitie waited several moments before releasing her hand reaching over to turn out the light. Once it was off, he took her hand in his, then rested his head on her back. He closed his eyes and waited for sleep to consume him.

"So…what's the plan?" Lucy asked as the six of them sat outside a cafe near the hotel, "I'm guessing we can't just high tail it out of here."

"Not really." Vera replied as she kept herself glued to the shade of the umbrella. She had on a pair of sunglasses and a bandana tied around her head, "I think our first order of business is to decide our mode of transportation."

"Won't the vehicle we have work?" Desmond asked before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Well, depends on what you all want to do."

"What does that mean?" Rebecca questioned.

"It means that the Templars might be suspicious of it. So, we have a few options at this point; either we get the vehicle painted and switch the license plates, or we get another larger vehicle and switch the plates, or we break down the animus, take a slightly smaller vehicle and switch the plates. It's up to you to decide what we should do."

"I don't think dismantling the animus will be a problem, it's where to put the chair." Lucy replied.

"I'm going to assume that you'd want me to have my session while we're on the road."

"Probably not a good idea, girl. Remember what happened to us before." Rebecca looked across the table at Lucy, "We were attacked by the Templars and the driver was killed."

Vera turned her head slightly as she listened to Rebecca, then looked back at Lucy, "Seeing as it's just the six of us, I'm not risking anyone's lives while I have my session. I'll do it once we're safely in Rome."

"But, where will you have the session once we get there?" Lucy asked.

"We'll worry about that once we're there. But, it's up to you to decide what we should do."

"My personal opinion, I think we should just dismantle the thing." Hawk said after having a drink of his coffee, "Take a smaller vehicle. It shouldn't draw much attention to us."

"I feel the same way."

"So, how do we make this work?" Desmond asked.

Vera sat back for a second as she took a quick glance around the area to make sure that no Templars were around listening to them, "I think I have an idea."

As soon as their breakfast was finished, they made their way to the van, which was parked a few blocks away in an alleyway. Vera opened up the back to see just how big the animus was and about how long it would take to rip it apart. She was in luck as the only thing they'd have to leave behind was the chair. Everything else could easily be dismantled, but it would take some time. She turned to face the group standing behind her.

"Eluveitie, I'm putting you in charge of getting us some new plates. Ride ahead of us and we'll contact you as soon as we hit the road. Either we'll meet up somewhere, or you can hide the plates somewhere along the route. Change up your plates as well." She said to him before looking at the others, "Hawk, I trust you can get a vehicle for us, as we'll have to leave this one behind. Rebecca and Lucy, take care of dismantling that thing. Do it as swift and as quick as possible. Desmond and I will stand guard in case any Templars decide to show up."

Once their orders were given, they all began their tasks. As Lucy and Rebecca took their time taking the animus apart, Desmond guarded the front while Vera watched from the rear making sure to keep her focus on the buildings around them as well. Close to an hour went past as Hawk rolled up in a fancy car, a Ferrari. He helped the two ladies load everything into the trunk while Vera made her way out of the alley.

"Where are you headed?" Hawk asked her as he closed the trunk and allowed the ladies to enter the vehicle before Desmond climbed into the passenger seat.

"Give me a few moments. I'll be right back." Vera rounded the corner and vanished.

"I don't think we have that…" Hawk let out a frustrated sigh as he walked over to the driver's side, then backed out of the alleyway. He parked on the side of the street and set a GPS, so they wouldn't get lost along the way. About ten minutes passed as he saw a motorcycle pull up beside him. He turned and rolled down the window, "Really?"

"If something happens, then I can handle it." Vera called over the roar of the engine. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and called his.

Hawk jumped when he heard the ringtone going off. He set the Bluetooth in the cab, "What do you want?"

"I have an earpiece in. For whatever reason, don't turn it off." Vera slide the phone back into her pocket.

"And, how are we suppose to tell Eluveitie that we're coming?"

"I already took care of that. Now, let's ride. You go first." Vera backed away from the car and watched as Hawk drove off. She followed close behind.

The start of the trip was easy. They made their way out of Florence and onto the expressway. When they were clear of the city, Hawk took a bit of a 'detour' and took them to another road that wasn't as busy. They drove on for about an hour or so before Vera noticed a military vehicle in her side mirror. She watched as it started to close in on them, then spotted the passenger holding up a gun.

"Got some Templars on our asses." She said into the earpiece, "Keep your heads down!" Just as she spoke, a bullet went whizzing past her head and through the center of the back windshield before making its way out the front.

"Holy shit! That was a close call!" Hawk was able to keep the car from rearing off the road.

"I told you to keep your heads down! Pick up the pace! I'll deal with these guys!"

"And, how do you plan to do that?" Hawk questioned as he excelerated the car. Within moments, he was close to going over a hundred miles an hour.

"You'll see." Vera followed after the car before making a quick turn into the other line. She sped up the bike as she made her way towards the oncoming vehicle. She swerved away from the bullets coming at her as she held out her wrist and flicked it, allowing the blade to come out of the bracer hidden under her leather jacket. Right as the vehicle got close to her, she held her arm down low, then used the blade to slice the side of the vehicle and the front and back tire. The vehicle spun out of control and off the road. It crashed into a tree before exploding. She quickly turned the bike around and drove after Hawk.

"Who said watching movies was a bad thing?" She questioned as she tried to keep up with him.

"What movie did you learn that from?" Hawk replied as he looked in the rearview mirror to see her distant figure slowly getting larger and larger.

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I've always wanted to try that." As she approached the car, she quickly swerved into the other line when another military vehicle appeared out of the trees, which caused her to almost fall off the bike. She quickly gained control and drove right along side of the Ferrari, "Got another one behind you!" She called.

"Fun. Do you plan to do the same?"

"Too close to do that. I wouldn't have enough time. The Ferrari can go faster than this motorcycle can."

"Leave it to me." Desmond quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and rolled down the window as he grabbed his gun, which was hidden under the seat. He leaned out the window and pointed the gun at the vehicle. A bullet flew right past him.

"Are you crazy?!" Lucy called to him as she kept herself low on the backseat, "You'll fall out and kill yourself!"

"Better that than all of us getting killed." Desmond called back to her as he fired the gun dead on the passenger side window. He hit the target, but that didn't keep the driver from firing back at them.

Vera looked in the side mirror as the vehicle got closer. She looked at the grille for a moment before saying, "Hawk! Speed up as much as you can! Desmond, if you can hear me, hit the grille! It should stop him!"

"That doesn't sound good." Lucy replied as she felt the car speed up more.

"Is it ok to say that I think I'm going to be sick?" Rebecca had made herself comfortable on the floor as she tried to calm herself from the fast ride that she was on.

Hawk sped up as Desmond grabbed the hand grip on the inside of the car, just above the window, with his free hand. He pointed the gun at the grille of the vehicle, then fired. He was able to duck back inside just as the vehicle exploded behind them.

Vera raced slightly behind the Ferrari as she could feel the heat of the flames behind her. Within moments, her eyes caught the vehicle starting to slide forward onto its burning nose. It began to lean forward as if to suggest that it was going to topple over onto the roof. She revved up the bike and drove as fast as she could. The vehicle soon came to a rest on the roof and skidded across the asphalt until it came to a fiery halt in the center of the two lanes. She let out a sigh of relief.

Hawk had been watching the scene as he began to slow the car down so Vera could catch up to them, "Holy shit! That was amazing!"

"Not when you're about to be crushed by it." Vera replied as she eased the bike close to them and slowed up her speed slightly, "I hope that's it for now."

"It better be because I need a break!" Rebecca called as she groaned a little, "Can we PLEASE take a rest stop?"

"In a few more miles we will." Hawk said to her.

"Then, we can call Eluveitie to see what's going on with the plates." Vera said as she kept her distance from the car, but made sure that Hawk could still see her in the rearview mirror.

They drove for several more miles before coming to a rest stop. Everyone exited the Ferrari, Lucy helping Rebecca out, while Vera called up Eluveitie to see where he was at and where he'd left the plates for them. After the conversation was over, she placed the phone back into her pocket, then walked up to Hawk, who was sitting on the hood of the car.

"So, what did he say? Where's he at now?" Hawk asked her.

"He's close to Rome at the moment. He should be entering the city within several minutes." Vera replied to him, "He said that he left the plates hidden in an abandon barn not far from where we're at. I was able to write down the directions on how to get there." She handed him a slip of paper.

Hawk took it and had a look, "Hopefully it won't be hard to find."

"He said look for a path that appears to be overgrown. The barn will be behind that."

"Hopefully this car can make it."

"I'm thinking it should."

Soon, they were back on the road with Hawk following the written directions on how to find the barn. It took a long while, they had to double back a few times, but they were able to locate the path with the wild overgrowth. Hawk parked inside the barn while Vera parked outside. Once inside, she saw the plates and a screw driver slightly hidden under an old sign. Upon retrieving them, she began to switch out the plates for them.

"What of the motorcycle?" Hawk questioned her as he watched.

"He doesn't know that I have it." Vera replied as she threw the one plate aside before placing on the new one, "We'll keep it that way."

"He's going to be pissed when he finds out that you drove separate."

"Not as long as someone doesn't tell him what happened along the way here." Vera finished up, then moved on to the next one, "We should be safe for now. I don't think there's anymore Templars following after us."

"And, if there are?"

"We stand our ground. But, I want you to drive ahead of me in case someone catches my plate. I'd rather you all make it there safely and not have to deal with them again."

"You are taking a big risk here, you know that?"

"As if I haven't taken enough of them in my life time." Once the plate was on, she stood up and looked at him, "I'll wait about fifteen minutes or so before I leave here. I'll contact you once I'm outside of the city to see where to find you. If you don't hear from in within the hour that you arrive, then come look for me."

"Eluveitie's going to kill me for letting you do this, you know that?"

"Tell him it was my idea. Now, off with you. I'll meet up with you all soon."

"Safe travels." Hawk slid off the hood, then walked over to the driver's side door and got in.

"Same to you." Vera stepped out of the way and watched as he started up the car and drove off. She looked down at the other plate, then picked it up and tossed it to the side. She watched it skid across the ground before coming to a halt in front of a pile of old hay. She sighed a little before moving over to one of the dirty windows and having a look out at the scenery around her.

About twenty minutes passed by and Vera was already on the motorcycle and heading for Rome. She kept a sharp eye out for any strange vehicles that might have been following after her, but she got lucky this time around and had a safe trip to the city. Before entering, she pulled off at a rest stop, then proceeded to call Hawk.

Hawk had pulled into the city about thirty minutes before Vera reached the rest stop. Desmond was on the phone with Eluveitie to get directions on where to meet him, which was in a slightly abandoned part of the city. Hawk drove down a few streets before seeing a pick up truck outside of a rundown shop. He pulled up behind it, then spotted Eluveitie standing in the shadows of the alleyway. He exited the vehicle.

"You've made it safely, I see." Eluveitie stepped out of the shadows as he put his hood down, "Everything go well?"

"Of course. We can handle ourselves, you know." Hawk replied as he walked up to him, "It ain't like we're not professionally trained or anything."

"I'll be the judge of that." Eluveitie watched as the girls exited the car through the passenger side, "Where's Vera?"

"She picked up a motorcycle before we left. She shouldn't be too far behind. She told us to drive ahead, after we had the plates switched. She'll call up once she's outside of the city."

"You let her do that?"

"She kind of took off right before we left the city. I don't question what she does. She's a big girl and can handle herself. She'll be just fine."

"What if something happens to her? How are we suppose to know?"

"She said that if we don't hear from her within an hour to go looking for her."

"Where there Templars following you?"

"Nope. We had a safe ride here, didn't we?" Hawk looked back at the others, who were standing nearby.

"Oh yes, totally safe. No Templars around." Lucy tried to play along when she saw the look on Hawk's face.

"Yes! Nice smooth, safe ride." Rebecca replied, "I've never been in such a fancy car before. Made the trip worth while."

"Expect when we were followed by those…" Desmond quickly caught himself and bit his lip when he saw not only the scared expression on Hawk's face but the equally frightened and serious look appearing on Eluveitie's face, "…shit!" He whispered.

Lucy elbowed him in the side, "You jerk!" She whispered.

"Hawk…what happened?!" Eluveitie's voice became very deep to the point where it didn't sound like he was speaking English anymore.

"Um…well, we might have had a little run in with some military vehicles. Nothing we couldn't handle." Hawk kept his back to Eluveitie not wanting to see the look on his face.

"You should have seen the move that…ow!" Desmond held his side when he felt Lucy gab him in the ribs with her elbow again.

"I think it would be wise of you to shut your trap before you get Hawk into anymore trouble!" Lucy hissed in a low voice.

"I think that's already happened." Desmond replied in an equally low voice.

"But, Vera is fine. She was with us when we switched the plates, I swear to it." Hawk replied still keeping his back to him.

Eluveitie grabbed Hawk's shoulder and shoved him up against the wall. He looked him dead in his sunglasses, "What happened?!"

"We were chased by Templars, but we took them down." Hawk replied as he looked back at Eluveitie, "Vera took care of one of the vehicles and Desmond got the other. I swear that was all that happened."

"And, you allowed her to ride here on her own?!"

"That motorcycle isn't built for two."

"You should have let her follow after you! Why would you let her make that decision?!"

Before Hawk had time to reply, he heard a slight sound coming from the car. He turned his head to see Desmond slip inside and pick up his phone. He watched as Desmond answered it.

"Hey, where are you?" Desmond answered.

"Desmond?" Vera asked with a bit of confusion in her voice, "Please don't tell me something happened to Hawk."

"Well, um…" Desmond turned his head slightly, "him and Eluveitie are a little…busy at the moment."

Vera bit her lip a little before replying, "I'm outside of the city. Tell me where to go."

"We're in a semi-abandon part of the city. It shouldn't be too hard to find."

"I'll find my way. See you in a little while."

"Good luck." Desmond hung up, then looked over at the two men, "She's coming."

Eluveitie looked at Desmond for a moment before releasing Hawk, "You're lucky this time." He stepped out onto the side walk.

Hawk stayed where he was for several long moments as he tried to regain his composer. Soon, he joined the rest of them and waited for Vera to arrive.

A short while later, Vera pulled up to the alleyway and parked behind the Ferrari. She hoped off the motorcycle, then walked up to them, "Glad to see everyone made it here alright." She said before leaning against the wall, "So, what's the plan?"

"I'm a bit weary of setting up in one of these buildings." Lucy said, "Plus, not having a chair with us doesn't help."

"I say we get a hotel. We'll probably have better luck setting up in a room. At least she'll be comfortable there." Rebecca replied.

Vera nodded, "That sounds more reasonable. Plus, we have plenty of time. I'm sure the Templars don't know what we're looking for, so we're very far ahead of them."

"But, they're probably still looking for us." Desmond put in.

"Another reason why a hotel might be safer than here. Let's find a hotel and get some rest. We'll do the session in the morning, then begin the mission as soon as the sun sets. I'm going to assume that no one will be in the cathedral around that time, so this should make things move smother."

"And, what happens after we find this item…if we do?" Hawk asked.

"If it's not found, then I'm going to need more time in the animus. If it is found, we're heading to Ireland to take it to where it belongs. Until then, let us go rest up."


	11. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 11

The evening began to fall upon the city as the group settled into a hotel near the city's boarder. After a quick dinner in the restaurant located within the hotel, everyone headed to their rooms for the evening, but Hawk joined Eluveitie and Vera in their room as Vera wished to speak to the two of them in private. She drew the curtains, then walked over to the chair and seated herself.

"What do you wish to speak to us about?" Hawk asked her as he seated himself on the bed closest to the chair.

"I think you know what." Vera replied as she looked at the two of them, "My session tomorrow. I'm worried that Kida might 'slip' about certain things."

"You mean the side of you that they don't know about?" Eluveitie questioned, even though he already knew the answer to it.

Vera nodded, "Plus, I'm worried about that gem. If it does have any kind of power and she uses it, then what are they going to think?"

"You might have to tell them at some point."

"I would rather not and you both know my reasoning for it. If it were possible, I'd allow the two of you to run the session, but it appears that's not going to be possible, for neither of us know how to run the thing."

"I tried to learn…that didn't end too well."

"I'm always in it, never behind it." Hawk replied.

"And, that's why we need Lucy and Rebecca to run it because they know how the thing works." Vera sat farther back into the chair and sighed a little, "At this point, I'm willing to let anyone call me a witch as I'm sure the gem has some kind of 'witch craft' behind it. Or, simply put, magic."

"I would say, just let things play out as is. If they do question it later on, then just tell them you have magical abilities."

"I would hold off on that part until we have the gem in our possession and know what it can do." Eluveitie put in.

"What I don't get is why the thing is meant to kill the supernatural when your ancestor was a supernatural creature herself."

"Either does or it does. It could be a trap." Vera mused, "I mean, think about it; people don't like us, and for good reason, so if the Templars believe that an item has the power to kill Assassins that are assumed to have supernatural powers, then they'll use it to their advantage. But, if it doesn't kill the supernatural, but humans instead, then the Templars have just walked right into our little trap. But, as it stands, I'm not going to touch that thing without gloves on, just to be safe."

"So, if your ancestor does show her true side, are you just going to tell them?"

"May as well. If she doesn't and just shows the magic behind the gem, then I'll just say witch…even though I'll be biting my tongue the whole time, but it's better than saying that I'm a vampire. So, whatever happens, just play along with it, alright?" Once she got a nod of approval from the both of them, she sat up, "Very well. We'll end on that note. Hawk, you are dismissed. If they ask what we've been talking about, just say we've been going over that map of the tunnel system under the city, though, I'm pretty sure it won't be hard for us to find the right entrance into the cathedral. I want to try and keep a low profile for as long as possible."

"Of course." Hawk rose to his feet, "Have a good evening."

"Same to you." Vera watched as Eluveitie lead Hawk to the door. Once Hawk had left, she saw Eluveitie spin on his heels to face her. She knew what was coming next, "I made the call. Don't put the blame on Hawk."

"You all should have drove together." Eluveitie walked towards her.

"And, having one of us get shot? It wasn't worth it. Plus, we didn't know we were being followed. I was the one who caught the vehicle first. I think it's safe to say that it was a wise choice for us to drive separate."

"What if they would have shot you? You're already injured. You could have been hurt worse."

"I understand your concern about my health, but I was able to take care of the first vehicle. Under my instruction, Desmond managed to eliminate the second."

"What if they would have gotten ahold of you, should they have succeeded of getting you off the bike?"

"They would have been dead before they got their hands on me."

"They would have known you were injured."

"How?" Vera pushed herself out of the chair and walked up to Eluveitie. She placed her hand on his cheek, "I understand that you're worried about my safety and the fact that I've already taken a hit, but I can defend myself and you know that. We are trained to be taught and to fight through anything, even if that means we're wounded."

"I know. I just worry about you. If anything should happen to you…"

"When that day comes, I look forward to seeing you destroy the ones who harmed me." She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, "But, that day will have to wait, as I've already eliminated the Templar who shot me." She removed her hand, then walked over to the bathroom. She stepped inside and removed her shirt. She began to unwrap the bandage.

Eluveitie turned his head and looked over at the light coming from the bathroom. He slowly walked over to it, "And, when will that day come?"

"Probably not anytime soon, as I don't plan to get captured." Once the bandage had been removed, she looked down at the spot where she had been shot, which was right on the center gem of the Evenstar. It had been stitched up, thought not the best, but enough for it to heal.

Eluveitie stepped inside and looked down at the wound. Slowly, he walked up to her and placed his hand upon the wound. He stared at it for several moments before glancing up at their reflections in the mirror.

Vera watched him, then looked in the mirror as well. She turned slightly and looked up at him, "It'll heal with time. Too bad this one can't heal as quick as the one on my neck." She reached up and removed her earring, then placed it on the vanity, "Even in this form, I don't think it'll heal quickly."

Eluveitie watched, but kept his hand on the wound as if he was trying to keep it from bleeding. He placed his free arm around her and pulled her close to him.

Vera rested her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. She bit her lip to try and keep herself from wanting to bite him as she could hear his heart speed up every so often. Within moments, she moved her head away and looked up to see the chain to the Evenstar around his neck, the Evenstar itself was tucked into his shirt. She reached up and removed the Evenstar from inside his shirt and held it in the palm of her hand. She looked at it for several moments before closing her hand into a fist.

"Eluveitie…what do I look like right now?" She asked him.

Eluveitie looked down at her for a moment before replying, "Like an elf, but with red eyes and fangs."

Vera nodded her head slightly, "That's all I wanted to know." She reached over with her free hand and put her earring back on. She looked in the mirror and watched as she transformed back into her human self. She let go of the Evenstar, then backed away from him slightly, "Just wish I could see myself."

"You look beautiful in both forms. You do not need to see your other side. If someone says otherwise, then they're a Templar and should be dealt with as such."

Vera smiled lightly, "Of course." She removed his hand from the wound, "If you'll excuse me, I'd like to get changed."

"Need help wrapping up that wound?"

"No, I can handle it. But, the tattoo is going to need a serious touch up once this is healed."

"Mind if I tag along when that happens?"

"You are more than welcome to. Now, out." Vera pushed him slightly out of the bathroom, then closed the door.

"Hey! That's not cool."

"Too bad for you." Vera giggled slightly.

Eluveitie stared at the door for several moments before heading back into the main section of the room. He prepared himself for that evening's rest. He was already fast asleep by the time Vera had exited the bathroom.

Vera walked over to him, then leaned down and kissed him on the cheek before walking over to the sliding glass door that lead to a balcony outside. She stepped out and looked out at the city that lay before her. She leaned over the balcony and looked up to see how far up the roof was. She balanced herself on the railing, then gripped the wall and began to ascend upwards. Upon reaching the roof, she took in the rest of the sites that she couldn't see from the balcony. In the distance, she could see the top of the cathedral looming above the buildings. A light from one of the rooms at the top was on. She studied it for awhile until it went out. She glanced up at the sky to see the position of the moon before looking back at the cathedral. She nodded her head slightly making note of the time for that would be when it would be safe to enter.

"Tomorrow night, all hell's gonna break loss if we're not careful." She whispered, "But, doesn't all hell break loss when we Assassins are around?" A slight grin came to her face as she raised her hand and allowed the blade to exit the bracer, "To those who may fall in the dead of night, rest in peace."

Vera made herself comfortable in the armchair within the room Lucy and Rebecca had been sharing. Upon her head were several wiers that would transport her mind to the past and put her in Kida's body as she traveled through Italy. She rested her head back against the chair as she sighed a little, "Now comes the fun part."

"Are you going to be alright in that chair?" Lucy asked her as Rebecca stood by a computer that would monitor her brain activity during the session, "We can lay you do if you wish."

"I'll be alright." Vera replied as she turned her head slightly to look at Rebecca, "I'm ready when you are."

"Where would you like to go?" Rebecca asked as she looked back at Vera.

Vera bit her lip as she closed her eyes, "I'm not sure when Kida when to Italy…I know, very helpful, right? Shows how much my family had told me about our heritage." She went silent for several moments before saying, "Start in 1510. If not, then keep changing up years until we get there."

"And, how are we suppose to know if she's there or not?" Desmond asked as he stood next to Rebecca to see what it was like being on the other side of the animus.

"If I'm looking down upon the city as if I were God, then we know that we're not in the right time period. If I appear in her body, then we've got it right." Vera relaxed her head up against the chair, "Alright, Rebecca, I'm ready."

"Of course." Rebecca typed in the computer, then spoke, "Rome, Italy, 1510." Upon pushing a button, they were able to see where Vera's mind had went, which was right in the body of a beautiful Celtic woman who had just entered the city on a beautiful white horse.

 _It was a lovely spring day in Rome as the city was still recovering from the reign of the Borgia family. Buildings that were once rundown where showing signs of life, merchant stands were getting more business and the people were free to roam without being bothered by Borgia soldiers, who had fled the city as soon as the Assassins took control. As everyone went about their day, a beautiful woman rode through the city in search of an inn. Everyone who saw her moved out of her way and stared at her awe. She wore a lovely Celtic dress of green and gold while a green ribbon was braided in her long black hair, which went down to her lower back. A gold chain hung from her neck, but was tucked into her dress. Her skin was slightly paler than those within the city and her eyes were a lovely icy blue color. Her horse was equally beautiful with a lovely white coat and green eyes. The citizens of the city thought that she was royalty just by the way she looked and by the look of her horse. Some of them followed after her to see where she was going, which was to The Sleeping Fox inn, but one person had been following her closely in the shadows once she had entered the city. Upon her arrival to the inn, she dismounted her horse and was about to make her way towards it until she felt something pulling on her dress. She looked down to see a small girl holding up some flower for her. She smiled lightly as she kneeled down and took them from the girl._

 _"Thank you." She spoke in Italian, but her accent wasn't as such. It was much different than those of the city and country were use to hearing. She laid the flowers down on the ground, then reached into a pouch, which was tied to a sash around her waist, and pulled out a ribbon. She wrapped it around the girl's head for a measurement, then took a few of the flowers and began to make them into a crown. Once she was finished, she tied the ribbon to the back of the crown, then placed it upon the girl's head._

 _"Thank you most kindly, madam!" The little girl said happily to her._

 _"Your welcome, little one." She smiled, then picked up the rest of the flowers and rose to her feet. She removed her bag from her horse, then headed into the inn where a young man was waiting to take her horse, "Please, provide great care for my horse. I'd be devastated if something happened to her."_

 _"Yes, madam." The man bowed to her slightly before heading outside to tend to the horse._

 _She watched him for a second before heading over to the counter. She reached into her pouch and presented a bag of gold to the man who stood behind it, "I'd like a room, please."_

 _The man, who appeared to be in his late fifties or early sixties, took the bag from her, "How long do you plan to stay?" He asked her._

 _"Perhaps a week or a little less."_

 _"But, madam, this is too much for that long."_

 _"Please, keep it. I'm sure your place could use it." She smiled._

 _The man was shocked as he looked at her, "Y-y-yes, madam. Thank you very kindly." He quickly found a key for her, then placed it on the counter, "I hope you don't mind me giving you one of the best rooms we've got."_

 _"Any room will do, but I will accept your kindness." She bowed her head slightly before picking up the key and heading off to the stairs that would take her to the rooms on the next levels._

 _The man, and everyone else within, stared after her as someone entered the inn. He turned his head and greeted the person, "Good afternoon, Ezio. How goes things?"_

 _Ezio seated himself as he pushed his hood back, "Same as always, though, it is a bit easier without the Borgia soldiers around. My body can 'retire' for a bit. Though, I'm pretty sure I'll get called for something. Being The Mentor of the Assassins does take a toll on you. Anyways, how about you, La Volpe?"_

 _"Well, a lovely young woman just entered. Strange, really. She looks like a teenager. And, she paid a lot for just staying a week." La Volpe threw the bag over to Ezio._

 _Ezio caught the bag, then had a look inside, "Was she wearing a green dress?"_

 _"I take it you've been following her around?"_

 _"Since she entered the city. She came off a boat." Ezio closed the bag and threw it back to La Volpe, "She must have traveled far, but I haven't had a chance to speak to her yet."_

 _"I don't think you need to worry about her. She seems like a friend. But, I do worry about her safety. Rome is still in the process of recovery. I wouldn't be surprised if someone tried to steal from her. She almost appears to be royalty."_

 _"If that is so, then why is she traveling alone? Shouldn't she have guards with her?"_

 _"Perhaps you'll have to follow her around, then. Be her secret bodyguard."_

 _Ezio turned his head towards his friend, "As if I don't have enough to look after already. But, I get your point." He rose to his feet, "I'm heading off, but I would like a report on her, if possible."_

 _"I'll have some of my guys follow after her if she leaves. You have my word." La Volpe bowed his head slightly._

 _"Thank you. Have a good day." With that, Ezio slipped out of the inn._

 _That evening, the young woman emerged from her room and kept a close eye on the hallway to make sure no one was following after her. She was clad in black, wearing a tunic, leggings and a pair of leather boots, with a cloak over her shoulders. Once all was clear, she put her hood up, then left the hall. She walked to the main level and glanced around. When she knew it was safe, she dashed for the door and exited. Double checking her surroundings, she made her way into the city with one hand on her side where a dagger was hidden in case she was attacked._

 _Ezio had been hiding upon the roof of the inn. Once he saw her movement, he followed after her over the roof tops. At one point, his foot hit a loose shingle, which slid off the roof and landed into a nearby alleyway. He quickly ducked down once he saw her turn and look around. He cursed himself, then continued to follow after her once she started moving again. An hour passed by and he grew tired of chasing after her, as she appeared to have no idea where she was going, so he jumped down and landed with such grace and ease that she wouldn't be able to pick up the sound, but he was wrong as she quickly snapped around and removed the dagger. He held up his hands slightly._

 _"Relax, madam. I wish you no harm." He said to her as he slowly approached her._

 _The woman wasn't sure if she should believe him or not as she kept the dagger pointed in front of her, "Have you been following me?" She questioned._

 _"Not for long." Ezio replied, "You appear to be lost. Can I, perhaps, help you?"_

 _"I'm looking for someone." She said still keeping the dagger between the two of them, "An Assassin."_

 _Ezio was taken aback when he heard this, "An Assassin, you say? For what reason?"_

 _"I feel it is not safe to speak about it in public. While I understand that we might be the only two out here, I don't fully believe that everyone's retired for the evening."_

 _Ezio thought for a moment, then said, "Follow me. I know of a safe place we can speak." He lead her to the outskirts of the city where they found an abandon building. Upon entering, he lead her through a door which took them down into an underground tunnel._

 _She looked around the tunnel, which was lit by torches, to see that there were staircases built into the walls leading up to the city above. It felt as if they had been walking for almost two hours when they came to the end and she followed him up the stairs and into, what appeared to be, an abandon warehouse that had been converted into some kind of headquarters. She followed him over to a large desk, then seated herself._

 _"Would you care for some wine?" Ezio asked as he walked over to a cabinet that held a large selection of wine._

 _"I don't drink, sir."_

 _Ezio removed one of the bottles, then poured himself a glass, "How about some water?"_

 _"I'm fine, sir, but thank you for asking."_

 _"You are very polite."_

 _"I try to be." She watched as he seated himself on the other side of the desk, "People who are polite tend to be more trust worthy, and I want the Assassins to know that I'm one to be trusted, and feared."_

 _"I'll be the judge of that. Anyways, what do you seek from us?"_

 _"Aid."_

 _"What kind of aid?"_

 _"My family has a medallion that keeps getting stolen from us by those of higher power; nobles and those with wealth. We are getting sick of having to hunt them down to retrieve it, and, sometimes, being wounded in the process. We seek your aid in training us, so that we have an easier time getting it back and making them pay for stealing it from us. We want them to fear us."_

 _Ezio pondered this notion for a moment before replying, "And, what may I ask makes this medallion so special that it keeps getting taken from your family?"_

 _"Well, from what I understand, and this might not be true, it seems to have the power…" She waited for a moment until she saw him take a drink from the glass before continuing, "…to grant immortality." She grinned slightly when she caught him spitting out his drink._

 _Ezio coughed a little as he tried to gather his thoughts. It took him several moments before he said, "An object that grants…eternal life?"_

 _"I did say that might not be true."_

 _"By God, how is that possible?!"_

 _"Sir, please note that it might not even have that power. I know less about it than my parents do. That thing has been in our family for a very long time. Since it keeps getting taken from us, no one has had the time to study it and figure out if the notion is true or not."_

 _"But, if it was true, how would it be possible?"_

 _"Magic. Or, black magic, as I can't really see good magic wanting to grant someone eternal life. I mean, why would you want to live forever when you see everyone you love die before you?"_

 _Ezio couldn't believe what he was hearing. An object that could grant someone the ability to live forever. If he had something like that, he'd gladly take it upon himself to become immortal, so he could run the Brotherhood until someone else came to power to take command of it. But, then again, he did see the down side of it all. Watching fellow friends die before his time came. He had already seen his father, brothers and uncle killed before him and he knew that he couldn't bare to see his fellow Brothers, his friends, and his sister die before him in the same manner. He sat back as he allowed his brain a moment to rid itself of the thoughts that flowed through it._

 _She watched him for several moments before replying, "So, will you help us?"_

 _Ezio snapped back to reality and looked across the table at her, "What are you willing to pay for training?"_

 _She moved her hand into her cloak, then removed a large bag and threw it over to him, "I hope that will be enough."_

 _Ezio looked down at the bag, then picked it up and looked inside. His eyes widened at the amount of coins that were within. He slowly looked back up at her._

 _"Where I'm from, that's worth more than the city of Rome. I'm sure that'll cover the training."_

 _"I-I can't accept all of this."_

 _"Consider it a gift, if you will, for not only the training, but for the help you will be providing for my family."_

 _Ezio sat back as he glued his eyes to the bag. He knew all too well that he couldn't accept such a large payment, especially if this was all she had to live off of, but he did remember the payment she had provided at The Sleeping Fox. He didn't have time to catch himself as he spoke, "You must come from a royal family."_

 _"Not quite." She replied to him, "More along the lines of wealthy, but no where near royalty. I would hope that you'll accept that."_

 _Ezio kept his eyes locked to the bag before pushing it back to her, "You may keep it. My form of payment is as such; in exchange for the training, you and your family will become dedicated Assassins to our Brotherhood."_

 _"Sir, we will do anything to put this all to rest, even if that means taking lives in the process."_

 _Ezio raised his head, "Very well. You will train under me. We begin at the first light of dawn."_

 _She nodded her head in turn, "I look forward to it and to avenge my family."_

 _Ezio leaned forward slightly, "Tell me, what is your name?"_

 _"Kida Dubhthach."_

 _Ezio bowed his head to her, "Auditore, Ezio…"_

Vera was awoken not long after as she stared at the wall across from her not knowing that Hawk and Eluveitie were standing on either side of her. Her heart sped up a little as she turned her head slightly and looked at Eluveitie, "Do you have that paper?"

"Why?" Eluveitie questioned her as Lucy quickly ran to her side.

"Are you alright? Your heart rate just went up." Lucy questioned.

"I need that paper." Vera sat up and removed the wires from her head, "I…I think I might be able to figure it out."

Eluveitie reached into his pocket and passed it over to her.

Upon taking it, Vera held it up to the light, then hissed lightly to herself, "I should have guessed. This is written in code. There's Italian within the Celtic. Smart move on her part."

"So…that thing doesn't really kill off the supernatural?" Desmond asked, "And, there's no knife that's apart of it?"

"Too bad my Italian sucks shit, or I'd be able to read this. I can speak it…I just have trouble reading it." She pulled out her phone, then opened up an app that would help to translate the writing. She hovered it over the front of the page, then noticed some messy and scrambled up words appearing on the screen, "Could someone give me a pen and paper, please?"

Lucy ran over to the desk within the room and grabbed a pad of paper and pen that were laying on top of it before heading back over to Vera and placing the objects in her hands.

Vera began to unscramble the words the best that she could before hovering the phone over the back of the page. She got the same results, but different words. She worked on those ones as well before adding in a small drawing at the bottom of the page. She ripped the page off the pad, then worked on the drawing a bit more while adding the writing around the outside of it. Once she was finished, she sat back and felt a pained sickness coming from deep down within herself.

"Shit…" She whispered as she stared at the page.

"What?" Eluveitie was able to pick up her word. He kneeled down and looked at the page. Within seconds, his heart rate began to pick up as he felt the same sickness within himself as well, "If I knew how to cuss in Elvish, I'd do it right about now."

"What are you two worried about?" Rebecca asked as her and Desmond joined the rest of them.

Vera turned the page to show them what she had drawn on it. It was a cross with the gem at the top of it, "This gem is meant to guard and protect whoever has it. Ezio said it's in a vault within the cathedral. From what I understand from all this messed up nonsense, the cross is hanging above the vault that holds the Treasures of Eden, probably to protect it from those who want to steal what's within. It appears that Ezio placed the cross on there and the gem was activated by Kida, sort of like magic, if you will."

"So…what does that mean…?"

"It means that this thing can go off on anyone, including myself. It might recognize my bloodline, but might not allow me to take it back. This thing can cause some serious damage, if it so wishes."

"Well, why not just leave it there?"

"Because the items aren't in the vault anymore. They've been stolen and scattered around the world. That's what we've been trying to look for." Lucy reminded Rebecca, "But, if that item is suppose to protect the vault, then how could anyone get past it?"

"My guess is someone was able to 'break' the spell, or whatever, that was put on it and resealed it after they took what they desired." Vera replied as she slipped down a little in the chair, "If that is the case, then this is going to be way more dangerous that I had originally planned it to be."

"How are you going to get it?" Desmond asked.

Vera stayed silent for a moment before saying, "…I'm just going to wear gloves, grab it off the wall and hightail it out of there. That is the plan for the time being. But, right now, we should prepare of this mission. I fear we will have a long night ahead of us."


	12. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 12

The day rolled along and soon turned into night. Using the map that Hawk had provided, they were able to access the tunnel system under the city that was used by the Assassins. The tunnel was lit the same way it had been for centuries by torches. The walls were the same, though cracked in a few places, and several of the staircases had began to crumble. A few of them were broken while three were completely blocked off. It wasn't much longer before they reached the staircase that would take them into the cathedral. Vera paused in front of them and looked up the stairs for several moments before she turned and faced them.

"The pope should be asleep by now. And, his assistances shouldn't be roaming around either." She said, "But, we must stay on guard. Lucy and Rebecca, you two will stay inside the tunnel. Hawk and Desmond, come inside with Eluveitie and myself, but stand guard near the entryway into this place. If anything should happen, Lucy and Rebecca will be here for back up. Eluveitie and myself will search for the vault. Most of the people within this place have strong loyalties to the Templars, so if something goes wrong, don't be afraid to take them down. But, be careful, as there are Assassins amongst them who will most likely lend us a helping hand."

She turned back towards the staircase, "Alright, let's get to work." She lead the team up the stairs, then paused once the reached the top and saw a stone door right in front of them. She ran her hand along the door until she was able to find the way to open it. Carefully, she pushed the door open and stepped inside the dark cathedral. She looked around to see that they were in a small hallway that lead to a staircase that went to the second floor. She took Eluveitie's hand, then lead him in the opposite direction of the stairs as Hawk and Desmond quickly took their positions near the entryway of the tunnel.

Eluveitie followed close behind as he kept an eye out for any moment in the shadows and kept his ears open to any sounds. Soon, they had entered the main sanitary, "Do you know where the vault is?" He whispered to her as he looked at the bits of light coming in through the stand glass windows that filled the large room.

"I kind of feel like I do." Vera whispered back as she walked up to the alter, then went to the wall and ran her hand along it, "It's almost like I've been here before."

"Perhaps you're a reincarnation of Kida."

"I wouldn't be surprised by that." Vera paused once her hand hit something on a painting. She carefully peeled away a section of it and saw a button, "I'm guessing that's it."

"Let us hope so."

Before Vera touched it, she turned and looked at him, "I want you to stand guard out here. I should be fine by myself. If any Templars show up, take care of them, then hightail it out of here with the others. I'll meet up with the rest of you as soon as I can."

Eluveitie looked back at her. He was about to protest, but decided against it. Instead, he put his hand on her cheek, "You have my word." He leaned down and kissed her.

Vera blushed slightly as she returned the kiss. She placed her hand on his and kept it there for several long moments before removing it and pulling her hood upon her head. Slowly, she turned to face the painting and pushed the button. She watched as a door swung open. She stepped inside and it closed swiftly behind her.

Eluveitie watched for several moments before pulling his hood up and standing in the shadows.

Vera walked down a small hallway before entering the main chamber. In the center of the tall, circular room was a stone circular table with a faint light shining down from a window high above. Along the wall were benches and several old faded paintings. Across the way from her was a golden cross hanging several feet above the ground. Upon the cross, near the top of it, was a red oval shaped gem. She fixed her eyes upon the gem before slowly moving along the wall, her eyes never leaving the object. It wasn't until she got half way to it that a red beam appeared upon the table and slowly began to move in her direction. She paused and took a step back.

"Who dares enter this domaine?" A haunting voice rang throughout the room. It spoke in Celtic.

Vera stepped back again before saying, in Celtic, "I'm an ancestor of Kida Dubhthach. My name is Vera. I'm a vampire and I'm an Assassin."

The beam seemed to stop once Vera had stepped back, "An ancestor, you say? What business do you want in the vault?"

Vera felt as if she were in The Hobbit where Bilbo had run into Smaug and the dragon was playing mind games with the little hobbit. She had to chose her words wisely as they might alter her fate, "I have no business within the vault, as I know that the treasures are all missing. I can promise you that they'll be in Assassin power in no time."

"Will you bring the treasures to me?"

"It is not my power to return them, for they do not concern me or my family." She moved deep into the shadows and searched the wall for a place to grip it. She knew that she'd have to scale the wall in order to get to the cross. She figured she'd best start now.

"And, what does concern you?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps something that might possess more power than any of those objects that they're searching for." She was able to locate a grip on the wall and was soon working her way towards the cross, keeping close to the wall and keeping hidden in the shadows.

"Is there such a thing?"

"I don't know, you tell me, since it seems like you have the voice of one of my ancestors."

"Hm…what could have more power than the Treasures of Eden, I wonder?"

'Yep, I'm officially in The Hobbit right about now.' Vera thought to herself as she inched closer to the cross, "Perhaps something that grants eternal life to those who are worthy of such a gift." She turned her head slightly to see the beam searching for her. She was lucky to be out of its reach as it wouldn't be able to turn all the way to the side to get to her, "I have witnessed its power and it's an interesting thing."

"Hm…now that would be something that would be welcomed within the vault. Why don't you bring it here?"

Vera was right by the cross at this point. She reached out and grabbed it, "Because I left it back in America!" As soon as she ripped the cross free from the wall, she was blasted back against the far wall. She hit the wall with such force that the paintings within the room were knocked off the wall.

Eluveitie jumped slightly when he felt a slight rumble from within the sanitary. A candle stick and goblet fell off the alter while one of the nearby stained glass windows cracked. He felt a few bits of debris fall from the ceiling onto his hood. He glanced up for a moment, then quickly scanned the area as he listened carefully.

Vera's impact was so violent that it rattled the hallway Hawk and Desmond were standing in. Both men quickly became alert as they looked around the hall with their weapons at the ready. Their eyes quickly shifted to the staircase as they waited.

Vera groaned slightly as she held the cross in her gloved hand. It began to glow slightly as the wall across the way started to open up. She let out a loud hiss when a blinding light shined her way. She lowered her hood as far as it would go in order to rid her sight of the light. Within moments, she was greeted with a heavenly voice.

"One of our own has come to the vault. What is it you seek?" The voice asked.

"Just this." Vera held the cross up, "That is all I want. I don't want anything else."

"You plan to take the object that guards this vault? For what reason?"

"It belongs to my family and I wish to return it. If you're worried about Templars getting in, then allow me to seal the vault shut."

"What about the treasures? What will happen to them once they're found?"

"They will be in the safe hands of the Assassins. Now, allow me to seal the vault."

"You will not seal this vault until all the treasures have been returned!" The light began to make its way towards Vera.

Vera was able to see the brightness getting closer and closer. She quickly held up the cross and spoke, "By my power, I command this vault to be sealed! May no Templar or Assassin, human or immortal, open this vault ever again!"

The gem beamed a shining red light which filled up half of the room. It forced the light back into the vault. Within moments, the door sealed shut and blended into the wall as if it had never existed. The table in the center of the room began to crumble while the light from above faded to nothing.

Vera panted slightly as she allowed herself a moment of rest before pulling her hood back and rising to her feet. Slowly, she made her way back into the sanitary. Once she was inside, she saw Eluveitie standing right in front of her. She moved towards him, but quickly turned, once the door had shut, and spoke the same phrase.

Eluveitie's eyes widened when he saw the light coming from the gem. He quickly put his hand on Vera's shoulder, but had wished he didn't for once the spell had been cast and the door had blended into the wall, sealed shut, both of them were shot back. He hit the main alter while Vera went flying into a row of chairs within the sanitary. The blast had caused the room to shake and the windows within close range shattered to pieces while others cracked. He groaned slightly as he slowly rose to his feet. He quickly made his way over to Vera and helped her up.

Vera was able to stand, but was leaning on him for support. She felt like she had the life drained out of her. She was starting to look pale as well.

Eluveitie quickly lifted her into his arms and held her close to him. He was still feeling weak from being blasted into the alter, he could tell that he had been cut in a few places, but he was aware that she couldn't walk on her own and they needed to get out of the cathedral as quick as possible. He made his way back to the hallway and saw Hawk and Desmond still waiting for someone to come down the staircase.

"Quick! Inside!" He ordered to the two of them. His eyes shifted to the stairs as he saw a small hint of light beginning to ascend down towards them.

Hawk and Desmond were quick on their feet and rushed into the tunnel.

Eluveitie followed close behind and was able to get the door closed just in time. Before he could make his way down the stairs, he saw Vera raise the cross one more time and speak the same spell to seal the doorway. 'Oh, shit!' He braced himself for another strong blast, but he got lucky this time as only his back foot moved slightly towards the end of the step. Just as he was about to let out a sigh of relief, he heard something clinking down the stairs. He turned and saw the cross falling down the steps. His attention quickly turned to Vera, who was limp in his arms. He quickly rushed down the stairs.

"What the heck happened in there?!" Lucy asked in a frantic voice as she saw him running down the stairs, "We felt the tunnel shake and pieces of it fell on top of us!"

"Um…Lucy, I don't think we should be worrying about that right now." Rebecca quickly motioned to Vera.

Lucy's fell upon Vera. She gasped, "What happened to her?!"

Eluveitie quickly laid Vera on the ground, then put his foot on the bottom of the cross. He pulled out a dagger that he had hidden under his shirt and used it to pry the gem loss. Once it fell off the cross, the cross slowly began to disintegrate into ash and the gem turned black. Using the bottom of his cloak, he picked it up and placed it in the bag on Vera's belt. He replaced the dagger, then picked her up again.

"We need to get her to safety and get her help right away!"

Hawk looked down the tunnel in the direction they were heading on their way to the cathedral, "Let's go that way. If anything, we'll end up at one of the Assassins headquarters. It's on Tiber Island, which is outside of the city. We will be safe there and we can get her help." He quickly lead the way and the others followed right after.

As they drew closer to the end of the tunnel, Eluveitie began to slow up slightly and even ended up leaning against the wall at one point. Desmond was quick to catch this, then made his way towards Eluveitie.

"Hey, man, you alright?" Desmond asked him.

"I just…need a moment." Eluveitie replied as he took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Hawk paused when he heard their voices echoing around him. He turned and went over to them. He looked Eluveitie in the eyes to see that he himself was growing a bit weak, "Did you get hurt back there?'

"Just a little. I'll be alright. I can make it the rest of the way."

Desmond moved behind Eluveitie and saw a small shard of glass sticking out of his shirt, "I think you're hurt worse than you say you are."

Hawk watched Desmond, then looked back at Eluveitie, "Hand her over to Desmond. I'll help you the rest of the way."

"I will live. I can make it." Eluveitie said.

Hawk shook his head, "No. You'll just make your injuries worse. Let Desmond carry her the rest of the way." He turned his attention back to Desmond, "Take her."

Eluveitie watched as Demond took Vera from his arms. While he didn't much appreciate it, he felt relieved that he didn't have to carry her the rest of the way for he could tell that his wounds were, in fact, begging to get worse. He saw Hawk move closer to him. He allowed himself to lean on Hawk and walked next to him as they continued on their way to the island.

Within fifteen minutes, they had reached the staircase that would take them up into the building up above. Hawk went first with Desmond bringing up the rear. Hawk opened up the stone door and they all entered into the building to see that they were in some kind of fancy living room. They spotted at least four male Assassins sitting around a table playing cards. When the Assassins looked over at them, thinking them Templars, they quickly drew their blades, but Hawk was quick to stop them.

"We are fellow brothers." He said to them, "We seek aid as two of our own have been wounded."

The Assassins lowered their blades, then saw Vera limp in Desmond's arms. They all looked at each other for a moment before one of them darted off to retrieve someone. Moments later, he returned with a woman, who appeared to be in her sixties, who looked as if she were some kind of gypsy. She almost screamed when she saw the state Vera was in, then noticed that Eluveitie was looking weak. She ordered one of the men to help Eluveitie while she went over to Desmond. She placed her hand on Vera's forehead.

"Follow me and quick." She said to him and lead him to a flight of stairs to the second floor.

Three hours later, Vera slowly opened her eyes. Everything was a blur around her, but she could have sworn that she saw candle light. Once her eyes adjusted to the light of the room, she felt as if she were in a room that a physic lived in. She noticed that she was laying on a mattress that was close to the floor and she could smell incenses around her. She went to push herself up, but found that she was too weak. She groaned slightly as she allowed herself to fall back onto the mattress. She sighed a little, then turned her head slightly when she heard the woman speaking to her.

"You should rest, young one. You took a good beating." She appeared out of the shadows, then seated herself on the floor next to the mattress, "It took about an hour to pull that nasty hex out of you."

"Who are you and where am I?" Vera asked in a weak voice, "Great…I sound like death."

"You are on Tiber Island, one of the Assassin bases. I'm sure your ancestor's been here before. And, I'm Tess."

Vera waited a moment before she spoke, "Yes, my ancestor Kida came here with Ezio."

"I thought you looked familiar. I had a version of her before. But, I should ask, why did you try and kill yourself?"

"I didn't try and kill myself. I got the gem and used its power to close up the vault."

"Dear, you know that vampires and crosses don't work well together, with or without gloves on." Tess added.

Vera stared up at the ceiling for several moments before saying, "Yeah…I kind of forgot about that. I just…I don't know."

"You were just trying to regain something that belonged to your family, something that shouldn't be in the hands of the Templars, even though it was protecting something important to the Assassins."

Vera wasn't really sure how to respond to this. She was aware that she needed to reclaim the item that belonged to her family, but, at the same time, she felt guilty about taking it, as it was meant to keep the vault safe from the Templars. But, another thought passed through her head; if it had succeeded in the past from keeping the vault safe, then how could someone have gotten past it and stolen the treasures from within without being harmed by the gem on the way out? Surely there must be creatures working for the Templars as well. She let out a long sigh as she closed her eyes. Too many thoughts were clouding her already tired mind.

"There, there, dear." Tess stroked her hair, "Don't let it bother you. Just be glad that our enemy can't enter that place ever again."

Vera turned her head slightly and opened up her eyes to look at the woman, "Can I ask you something? How did you know I was a vampire? And, why did you have a vision about Kida?"

"Because I knew that you'd come here with your friends seeking our help, I just wasn't sure when. You have a lot of her within you. She was a proud Assassin and took her role very seriously. I do believe that you are a reincarnation of her. And, one of my ancestors had the honor of working with her when she came to Italy. I do my research. And, I happen to be like you…in a way. I'm just not a vampire."

Vera's eyes widened slightly, "Let me guess…you're a…"

"The thing you were called by those Templars back at Ezio's villa? Yes, I'm one of them. I'm sure I've been around just as long as you. Though, I age a bit differently than you do, dear. But, fear not, as I am a loyal Assassin myself. I've dealt with my fair share of creatures who've turned to the Templars, and those who wish to remain neutral, but have caused their fair share of trouble."

"Ok, I feel better now…somewhat. Well, 'spiritually' I feel better…just not physically or mentally."

Tess laughed a little, "I understand your concern, but you are in a safe place and you know that. After all, you did take a trip here once before…well, several times before."

Vera nodded a little, "Will you do me a favor and not tell the others about what I am? I'm trying to keep a low profile, and for good reason."

"Your secret is safe with me, and two of your other friends who are here as well."

"How are they doing? Is everyone alright?"

Tess nodded, "They're all downstairs enjoying themselves with the Assassins who live here with me. But, one of them has been sitting outside this room the whole time."

"Eluveitie…is he alright?"

"He was injured, but not too badly. He got some nice glass shards stuck in his back. But, it's interesting…it seems that you two have met before in the past many centuries ago."

"We…have?"

"Yes, you have. I can have a further look into that, if you'd like."

"That…would be interesting. I'll accept that offer."

"Very well." Tess rose to her feet, "I'll be sure to have a look. But, for right now, I'm going to allow you to rest up. You'll need about a week to recover."

"A week? I don't think I can wait that long."

"All us Assassins have setbacks. We must not run out into the face of Hell while being half injured. We must make a full recovery and be physically prepared to take on our enemies."

"I suppose it can wait."

Tess nodded a little, "Have a good rest." She walked over to the door, then opened it and stepped out.

Vera turned her head slightly and watched as she exited the room. It wasn't much longer before she saw Eluveitie enter. His upper body was wrapped up. She watched as he came over to her, then seated himself on the bed. She reached for his hand and held it tightly. With his help, she was able to sit up, but she leaned on his slightly, her body still weak. She sighed a little.

"I guess our little trip to 'Mordor' is going to have to wait. I'm stuck here for about a week."

"Is that really a nice name to call your native country?" Eluveitie asked as he wrapped his arm around her.

"Well, I wasn't born there and some annoying people live there, so I think I have every right to call it that."

"What about Mirkwood?"

Vera thought about it for a moment before replying, "Um…yeah, why not. Just hope there's no freaky spiders when we go there." She shivered slightly, "That was the most freaky scene in the whole freaking movie! Poor Peter! I don't even understand how he was able to get through editing without running out of the room. He's probably still traumatized from that."

"I'm sure he was screaming within himself during the whole thing."

"That wouldn't surprise me. Is there a TV here? I kind of want to watch The Hobbit now…and jump out of this bed when I see those bloody spiders!"

Eluveitie laughed a little, "If you did that, then you'd be stuck here much longer."

Vera groaned a little, "While I don't mind being at a safe place for our fellow Brothers, I do want to get this stupid thing back to Ireland, then take a break! I need it. Well, I think we both need it."

"Sadly, we Assassins never take a break. But, it would be nice to have one, I agree with you on that."

"If there's any money within that vault, I'm going to be a nasty little shit and take it. We're going to New Zealand when all of this is done."

"And…what will Lucas think about that?"

"It ain't like there aren't any other people there to teach for me. Spare those poor souls of having their asses thrown off of buildings." Vera rolled her eyes a little, "No, seriously, you've been trained, for a month, to move across roof tops without making a sound. How is that not complicated?!"

"They're young and stupid. They'll figure it out at some point. I'm pretty sure their ancestors have had their fair share of falling off buildings while trying to learn to scale them and run across the roofs."

"I really hope their intelligence kicks in soon, or I will drop kick every one of them over the freaking wall!" Vera released herself from him and fell back onto the mattress as she let out a groan, "Do you think Lucas will let me come live with you?"

"I don't think you need to get into any more trouble with him. Though, you seem good at doing that."

"No kidding." Vera stared up at the ceiling as she allowed the incenses to try and calm her.

Eluveitie waited for several moments before speaking, "I do have a question for you; after your session, why did you want to see the paper right away?"

"Because the top part of the paper was sitting on Ezio's desk. Kida must have had the sheet about the gem with her and they combined the two of them together before making adjustments to the writing. I'm going to guess that Kida placed the gem on the cross and Ezio put the cross over the vault before Kida put the spell on it. Damn! That thing really drained the life out of me."

"Why didn't you remove the gem?"

"Wouldn't have been possible. That thing was following me like a laser beam, but it could only reach a certain distance. Plus, I didn't think I'd have time, and who knows what else it could have tried to do to me."

"You'll be lucky to know I was able to pry it off of the cross. The cross disintegrated after it was removed. I used my cape to put it into your bag, though it had turned black. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not."

"The cross probably drained the energy from it. It's probably dead by now. But, I still want to return it to the vault. I mean, it does belong to my family, so I have the right to return it…and steal a few things of my own."

"Isn't it bad to steal from your family?"

Vera turned her eyes towards him, "You should know that I don't care."

Eluveitie leaned forward and looked into her eyes, "Do you really want to steal from your father, Arwen? Though, I must say, he does have an impressive collection of items."

Vera glared at him slightly, "Ok, now you're just pushing it. I would never steal anything from Lord Elrond, nor anything from Rivendell. Though, I wouldn't mind stealing from Thranduil. He seems to have somethings that would be worth having. His kingdom might be difficult to get into, but it's nothing for someone of our skill level."

"You'd try and steal from Thranduil, Elvenking of Mirkwood? You're a brave and sneaky little thing."

Vera reached up and removed her earring, "We Assassins are suppose to be sneaky and little thieves. After all, those are some of the skills we need in order to survive. But, I'm sure a certain ranger wouldn't be caught stealing anything."

"Who says I haven't and he hasn't?"

"I'm pretty sure a lot of people wouldn't trust Strider if that happened."

Eluveitie shrugged a little, "That's true. Plus, he was living with Lord Elrond for most of his life. I don't think he would teach Strider to be a thief."

"I wouldn't think so either." Vera reached up and pulled him down next to her. She tried to get herself comfortable, the best that she could, and snuggled up to him.

Eluveitie groaned a little when he felt a sharp pain going through his body when he landed on the mattress. He had fallen on his side where a nice shard of glass had been removed; the shard had gone quite deep into his body. He put his head on the pillow, then rested his chin on the top of her head, "Do you plan for me to stay here?"

"If anyone has an issue, tell them to go to Mirkwood and take care of those spiders for us, so we don't have to."

Eluveitie laughed a little, "Of course. I'll be sure to send them off if they come to wake you."

"Wake me in a week. The sooner I get better, the better."

"Then rest." Eluveitie put his arm around her and pulled her close to him, "I will stay here for as long as you'd like."

Vera smiled lightly as she allowed her eyes to close, "Just make sure you put my earring back on me before someone walks in here."

"Of course. Rest well." Eluveitie waited several long moments until he knew Vera was out for good. He reached over and grabbed her earring, then placed it back on her ear, "Just in case." He whispered to her before he allowed himself to fall into a deep sleep.

"We hope that you don't mind us staying behind." Lucy said as they all stood outside the gate at the airport later that week, "But, we do have more 'work' that needs to be done."

"No, it's quite alright. Eluveitie and I will be fine on our own." Vera said, "But, I do want to thank you all for your help, but I'm still not going to forgive you for waking me up." She glanced at Hawk.

"What? At least it got you out and about, right?" Hawk moved out of the way when he saw her about to throw a punch at him, "Alright, I get it."

"Vera, we should get going." Eluveitie said when he heard their seats being announced over the intercom.

Vera nodded a little, "I wish you all luck in your journey and in locating those items. Please, keep in touch. I would love to hear how the journey is going." She moved closer to them and said, "Victory to the Assassins!" With that, she turned and followed after Eluveitie as she could hear the group bidding them farewell. As soon as they boarded the plane, she sat back in her seat, then took a deep breath and slowly let it out.

Eluveitie put their bags in the above compartment, then seated himself next to her, "Are you going to be alright with this?"

"I have no other choice at this point. I have the one thing that can easily be taken from my family in my hands and I don't want anymore of these annoying objects. I want to return this, get what I need, then leave. Let's just hope this all goes smoothly."

Eluveitie took her hand and held it tightly, "Let's worry about that when we're put in that situation."

Vera nodded a little as she held his hand, "Too bad that's all I'm probably going to be worrying about all the way there." She leaned back a little and closed her eyes, "Wake me when we get there."


	13. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 13

While Vera slept for most of the flight, it was her who had to wake Eluveitie up once they arrived in Ireland. Of course, there was some 'new artwork' on his arm when he awoke, which consisted of a sleeve of Celtic knots. He decided not to argue with her as he grabbed their bags from the overhead compartment before exiting the plane and getting a cab. They were dropped off at a hotel about an hour outside of where Vera's family resided. The hotel was consisted of little two story cabins while the main check in area looked like a lodge. After they settled in, they quickly changed into their black outfits, complete with hoods and capes, grabbed their Codex weapons and any other weapons they felt would be necessary for the trip. Vera attached the bag to her belt and within moments, they were on their way out the door and into the dark forest that lay just beyond the cabins.

For the most part, the trip was a quiet one, besides a few birds. They had been startled a few times by the sound of deer and other creatures roaming about in the forest. They kept close, but kept hidden in the shadows. Soon, they came upon a large mansion that appeared to be on top of a hill that overlooked the forest. A large rot iron gate sealed the entrance with a matching fence that outlined the property. No lights appeared to be on, which was a good sign for the two of them, but they knew that they couldn't let their guard down. Vera went up to the fence and followed it all the way around to the back. The property extended much farther than they had thought and as soon as they reached the end of it, they saw the vault. The back of it acted as part of the fence line. The vault itself didn't appear big, but it was possible that it lead underground. Both of them were able to scale it with ease and land safely on the other side.

Vera looked up at the door that sealed the vault shut. There was a lovely Celtic pattern designed on the front of it with a vampire theme intertwined as well. She ran her hand along the door, but there was no handle to open it with. Above the door, she saw several square boxes written in Celtic ruins. She reached up and preceded to push the buttons in a random order. Nothing happened. She kept this up until she heard the door start to slide open. She peeked inside to see touches lighting a small room that lead to a staircase that went downward. She turned and looked at Eluveitie.

"You can come with me, if you'd like." She said.

Eluveitie turned his head to look back at the mansion to see that the lights were still out. He turned back to her, then stepped into the vault.

Vera looked down the staircase, which was lit by torch light, then began to ascend down them. Within moments, they were in a large chamber filled with family heirlooms and artifacts. Vera's eyes went wide as she stepped into the large, long room, "Holy…"

All the items that were within the room were ancient, but appeared to be in wonderful condition. Most of them were jewelry while some weapons were 'hidden' amongst them. The items almost appeared to have come out of a Middle Earth type setting by the way that they looked.

Vera stepped up to one of the walls and removed a sword, one that appeared to look like Aragorn's. She turned to Eluveitie, who was busy admiring a piece of jewelry that was inside of a glass case, "Hey! Look at this!"

Eluveitie turned his attention to her, then slowly walked up to her. He held out his hands and allowed her to place the sword into them. He studied it, his eyes widening at the detail of it, "There's no way…"

"It looks just like the sword Aragorn had. In fact, everything in here has a Middle Earth feel to it." Vera turned as she looked at the wall to see if there were more weapons around, "I see nothing fully Celtic about this place."

"I'm starting to believe that Middle Earth was a real place."

"I feel like you're right." Vera removed the gem from her bag, then walked over to a table, which was made out of beautiful oak wood, and placed it next to some other gems that had been laid out upon it and marked. She walked a little ways down the room and spotted a row of necklaces hanging from the wall. Each necklace had the name of an ancestor who had past. She assumed that their ashes were within the pendents on the necklaces, sort of like a piece of memorial jewelry. She saw one with Kida's name, then removed it from the wall. She stared at it for several moments before placing it around her neck. She stood there for several moments before heading back over to Eluveitie.

Eluveitie already had the sword tied to his built and was busy studying the other weapons that were hanging up on the walls. He pulled down a sash that held several throwing knives. Upon removing one of the knives, he saw that the blade was made out of gold and had the most beautiful Celtic designs carved into it. Even the hilts had the same designs on them. The sash was made of leather and had a ruin embedded near the top.

Vera took the knife from him and studied it. She replaced the knife, "That's going, too." She moved around the room, then saw two short swords hanging up on the wall. They appeared to be the same kind that Legolas used. She pulled those down and placed one of them on the floor. She pulled the other out of the case and marveled at the beautiful weapon before her. It almost looked like the knives, only the blade was made from onyx. She placed it back, then placed them onto her back. Then, she spotted something out of the corner of her eye. She picked up her head and saw, across the way, a large wooden cabinet with stained glass doors. Slowly, she made her way over to it.

Upon reaching it, she slowly opened up the doors, then froze in her tracks as she stared at what was within. Inside were at least thirty Codex bracers, each a different style. She reached inside and pulled one out. After removing the one she had on, she placed it on her arm to see if it would fit, which it did. She flicked her wrist and out came an onyx long dagger. She marveled at it before removing it and trying on another. This blade was made of gold, but a small drip came from the tip and landed on the ground before her. A small sizzle could be heard. She was pretty sure that this was a blade meant for poison. Carefully, she removed the bracer and placed it back.

Eluveitie had joined her not too long after and was in complete awe by all the weapons that were within, "So…how do you know which ones to take…? And, can I have one…or two?"

"I don't think we have the kind of time to try all of these." Vera saw little gold plated labels in front of the weapons. The labels had the names of the ancestors who used them and what kind of blades they were. She removed two and passed them to Eluveitie while she took two of her own and placed them into her bag, "Gosh! I'd love to take more of these!"

"Too bad we didn't bring a bigger bag, or we could have just shoved them all in there. There's still some more weapons around here. I was able to grab a dagger." Eluveitie passed it over to her, "You can use that one."

"As if we already don't have enough weapons on us." Ver accepted the dagger, then attached it to her belt. She closed the cabinet, then took another walk around the room, "I don't think I need any jewelry. I have enough of that stuff at home."

"What about this?" Eluveitie held up a beautiful onyx circlet that had an Elvish style to it.

Vera's eyes widened at the wonder and detail of the circlet. She went up to him, then removed her earring. She allowed him to place it on her head, "It's a nice fit." She said while placing her earring inside of the bag. She figured she'd keep it off in case they ran into her family. Just then, she heard Eluveitie take in a sharp breath and quickly looked up at him, "What?! Please don't…"

"Look!" Eluveitie pointed behind her, "I…I can see you! In that mirror!"

"What?!" Vera was too shocked by what she heard that she was afraid to turn around to have a look, "You…you have to be kidding, right?"

"No, I'm not. Turn and see for yourself."

Vera bit her lip slightly, "No, I can't. I don't want to know what I look like. I've already got a good self esteem with my human side. If I see this side…I don't even what to know what'll happen."

"It won't hurt you to just look this one time."

"I just can't do it."

Eluveitie put his hand on her shoulder, then guided her towards the mirror, "Just have a look."

Vera, who had put her head down, nodded a little, then slowly lifted up her head to have a look. The mirror was outlined in gold with tiny crystals. The mirror itself seemed to have a misty feel to it. She stared at herself for several moments before turning her head to Eluveitie, "You…you don't appear in the mirror!"

"Maybe it's just meant for vampires. It's alright. I don't need to see my reflection. But, what do you think about yourself?"

Vera glanced back at the mirror, "I feel my self esteem going down the drain." She held her hand up to the mirror, "So much for killing off half the hair on my head."

Eluveitie looked down at her, then placed his hand under her chin and made her look up at him, "You are beautiful in both forms. Do not let this bring you down. Don't let anyone bring you down." He kissed her on the cheek.

Vera nodded a little as she glanced back at the mirror, then almost screamed when she saw what had appeared next to her, "What the bloody hell is that?!"

Eluveitie quickly looked up and saw his reflection starting to appear, but it wasn't him. What had appeared in the mirror looked almost like a dragon mixed with a demon. It looked like something that could have came out of Middle Earth. While Eluveitie was shocked by the image that appeared, the image itself began to take on a life of its own and made an illusion that it was going to jump out of the mirror at them.

Vera grabbed a scepter that was sitting on the table right in front of the mirror and used it to smash the mirror to pieces. The impact was so violent that it not only knocked the mirror off the wall, but other surrounding objects. Some of the objects were glass and had shattered as soon as they hit the concrete floor. She panted heavily, then went over to Eluveitie and shook him.

Eluveitie shook his head, then looked down at her, "What happened…?"

"I don't know. I don't even know what that was. I've never seen such a thing like that before. But, it obviously wanted to attack you."

"Could it have?"

"I really hope not. I know that I made you immortal, but I can't see how that thing would have any connection to you." She allowed the scepter to fall to the ground, "I think we've overstayed our welcome. We should leave."

"I couldn't agree more." He took Vera's hand, then followed her up the stairs and towards the entrance of the vault.

Once they were outside, Vera typed in the code and watched as the door closed. She sighed a little, "Ok…that was more fun than I wanted to have for the night."

"I think you spoke a little too soon." Eluveitie whispered to her as he drew his sword and unleashed one of his Codex blades.

Vera's hairs stood on end as she could hear the sound of feet moving amongst the grass. She released her Codex blade and grabbed one of the two swords before spinning around and seeing a large some of her vampire family approaching them. She hissed under her breath, "Oh, bloody hell!"

One of the members, who appeared to be the oldest of the group, rode up to them on a horse while the others came up on foot. He sat tall in his saddle and wore a very regal outfit that had Gothic elements mixed in with Celtic, "It would be wise of you to hand over those weapons at once!" He spoke in Irish.

Vera hissed a little for she could tell that his Irish was much older than what she was use to speaking, so she replied in Celtic, "I have every right to enter this vault!"

The man quickly backed up on his horse when he heard her language, "You know the language of our ancestors? How is that possible?"

"I had to teach myself! And, Irish wasn't really cutting it for me."

"Who are you and what do you want with our family treasures?!"

Vera bit her tongue so hard that it started to bled. She was pretty sure she just gave herself a tongue piercing, "Oh, ancestors of the Brotherhood so help me…"

"An Assassin! You must be from…"

"I'm Vera Dubhthach, you idiots!" She knew she shouldn't speak to her family in such a manner, but the fact that someone from her family thought that she was from their family rival really burned her up inside, "By the gods of this land, how could you not know it was me?! I'm pretty sure I attend a wedding for someone here who use to live in the states!" She glanced over at one of her relatives, who had quickly hidden behind a tall male vampire.

As soon as Vera had said her name, there were gasps coming from all around, then several whispers. The group slowly parted as her parents stepped forward. Both appeared to be in their fifties and wore the same regal clothing as the elderly man, only her mother was dressed in a beautiful Celtic gown. Vera looked more like her mother than her father. Her father was taller than the two of them and had brown hair. Vera quickly stood slightly in front of Eluveitie as she lowered the sword. She could feel her stomach starting to turn within her. She turned her head away slightly and felt Eluveitie place his hand upon her shoulder. She quickly put the sword onto her back, then flexed her wrist as the blade went back into the bracer.

Her mother slowly stepped forward, "Vera…is that really you?"

Vera stayed silent for a good long while. Right now, she wished she could just wave her hand and make them all disappear, so her and Eluveitie could leave in peace, but she had a feeling that wasn't going to happen. She turned her hand slightly and looked her mother in the eyes.

"Yes…it is." She replied in a low voice. She was about to reach for her hood to pull it over her head, but she felt Eluveitie stop her. She looked up at him for a second, then leaned on him slightly.

"W-what are you doing here? And, inside the vault?" Her mother asked.

"And, who is he?!" Her father asked in a stern voice as he pointed to Eluveitie.

Vera tried to keep it all inside of her, but she just couldn't. She quickly spun out of Eluveitie's grip and threw her hood over her head, "He is a fellow Assassin who lives in Finland. Several years ago, he was with a group on a mission in the states and they were taken by Templars. Me and a group went out to find them. He was badly wounded and we brought him back to our camp to recover. We've been 'speaking' to each other since then. His name is Eluveitie."

She quickly turned her attention to her mother, "As for your questions, it's simple really. I was returning a gem to the vault that was within the main cathedral in Rome. Stupid thing almost killed me before I had the chance to bring it here."

There were more whispers amongst the group as the elderly man rode up closer to them, "You mean the gem that Kida placed over the vault that holds the Treasures of Eden?"

"Yes, that one. Too bad the vault was broken into. There's a group of fine, young Assassins searching for the treasures. They were the ones who came across a piece of paper that had the gem on it and they called me out to have a look at it. Whoever got into the vault redid the hex that was on the gem. Damn thing could have killed me in there and almost did kill me when I sealed up the vault. The gem has had the power and life sucked out of it, so I don't believe anyone will be making any use of it."

"But…how could anyone get past it and into the vault? Kida's spell was a strong one."

"I don't know and I don't care. While my job back home is to teach young Assassins the skills they'll need to survive, I'm also on the hunt for any of our family heirlooms that might have gone missing. Of course, another has been located and will stay in my possession until further notice."

"And, what item might that be?"

Vera backed up slightly as she moved the hood back a little, "It's not in my power to say." She paused when she noticed her father taking a step forward.

"I have noticed that your 'friend' here isn't a vampire, nor does he appear to be human. But, he doesn't carry the scent of our rivals, and you know which ones I speak of. So, what is he?" He questioned her as he moved closer to them.

Vera quickly blocked her father from Eluveitie's path, but made sure to keep a good distance between the two of them, "He was a human, but I give him the power of immortality."

"And, how could you possibly have done that?"

Vera grinned slightly, "My little secret."

"It must be the work of the medallion!" One of the members cried, "She can't possess the power to do that on her own!"

Vera quickly shot a nasty look in the direction she heard the voice coming from.

"Vera, do you have the medallion?" Her father questioned.

Vera slowly turned her head back towards him, "Yes, I do and it's staying with me until we can figure out a way to keep it from being stolen from us, since being an Assassin is not anyones cup of tea here. It'll be safer with me and the other Assassins I work with."

"Young one, it would be wise of you to return it as you have done with this gem." The elder said.

Vera hissed angrily, "Then tell me, how did it end up in the hands of thieves in New Orleans?" She waited for a response, but got none, "Then, it stays with me."

"But, you have used it to change a human into a mortal!" Her father hissed at her.

"I had every right to do so! He is one of several Assassins who deserve to live a good long life in order to serve the Brotherhood! I know of two more people who are deserving of that right as well! While I have the medallion, I'll do with it as I please!"

"What if our rivals show up and take it from you?"

Vera turned her head slightly as if to get a better look at the group, "You mean the family we're 'destined to marry'? Yeah, I already had my run in with Daniel, more than once, and he did get his hands on the medallion, but it has already locked in his fate. And, by the way, thank you OH SO MUCH for giving me a heads up on this guy because I was stuck with him for a good portion of my life and he trained me to be an Assassin as well! But, with his fate sealed, then he's no use to me. Besides, I learned another trick with the medallion, so my fate is sealed with someone else. Oops! Sorry to trigger this rivalry even more."

There were more gasps and whispers amongst the group.

"You ran into our rival's son?! How could you allow him to train you?!" The elder asked as the horse reared up slightly.

"Better yet, who did you seal your fate with?!" Her father's eyes began to beam a deep red color.

"First off, no one told me that Daniel was our rival!" Vera glared at her mother and father before continuing, "I had a little help several years down the road from a cousin who came to the states to study. And, yes, I did train with him because he was an Assassin and willing to train me. But, it appears that I have more Assassin blood running through my veins than anyone else here, seeing as how my loyalty to the Brotherhood is very strong, just like Kida's."

She stepped back further until her back was slightly up against Eluveitie, "And, father, as for your question, he's been here the whole time." She took Eluveitie's hand in hers and gripped it tightly. With her other hand, she removed her hood, "If there's anyone I would want to be with, it's someone who has the heart of an Assassin and knows where his loyalties lie. But, more importantly, I want to be with whomever I please. I'm sick and tired of living under the notion that I have to follow what our ancestors started, and this being forced to marry someone whom I don't love and trust ends here!"

The voices of the group got louder and louder as her father's rage grew. He began to make his way towards them, but was quickly stopped when he saw Eluveitie hold the sword between them.

"I've been quiet up till now, but I can see why she's been hesitant about coming here all this time." Eluveitie replied as he kept the sword up, "I've known your daughter and family member for about thirteen years, if not a bit longer. I accept the fact that she's a vampire, but what I care most about is how damn great of an Assassin she is! These days, it's hard to find an Assassin who has a loyal heart and sticks to the more traditional side. Only us and a few others follow the traditional ways of the Assassins while everyone has turned to more modern advances. We have fought side-by-side several times and I've had a run-in with Daniel before, but because he is an Assassin, I couldn't kill him, for I know the consequences of killing a fellow brother."

He released Vera's hand, then wrapped his arm around her and held her close to him, "Your daughter is a very brave woman and always puts others needs before herself, even on missions. When I was wounded by the Templars and her team came to rescue us, she was the first one out the door and the first one to take down the Templars firing at us, even though she was wounded herself. She made sure that we got out safely before leaving the building. When we were in Rome the other night getting that gem, she said that if something happened for us to flee and that she'd catch up. She's had way more years of experience than myself, but I don't understand why you all would try and keep her from becoming what she truly is, an Assassin and a natural born leader. Whatever your reasoning is all I can say is, why would you hold back on teaching her when she had to learn from your enemy to become what she is? Why would you let that happen to you own flesh and blood?"

Vera turned her head slightly as she allowed her hair to fall along the side of her face, for she was afraid to hear what her father had to say, or what anyone else had to say. She leaned her head slightly on Eluveitie's chest and could hear his heart beat. She had no idea how he was able to remain calm through out all of this, but she heard it skip a beat once her father had spoken up.

Her father stepped closer to the sword, then knocked it out of Eluveitie's grip. The blade was sharp and had cut the backside of his hand slightly, "We were trying to protect her from him and his family! By coming here, then we wouldn't have to worry about them, since most of their family moved to the states back in the early 1800's! We would have taught her the ways of the Assassins, but not to the extent that the Mentor would call upon us if havoc broke loss! No Templars would dare step foot here unless they wanted to become a meal to us or any other vampire within the area! She's safer here than anywhere else in this world!"

"I don't think you understand the fact that her heart is true and loyal to the Brotherhood and by keeping her here, it would only make her lust for becoming what she truly is much worse. And, who knows, she could have fled the country in order to get the training she deserves."

"You speak as if this has happened to you! Tell us, young man, were you born with Assassin blood running through your veins, or did you have a reason to become an Assassin?"

Eluveitie's heart picked up speed when he heard him speak. His eyes widened slightly and began to fill with anger. He was about to unleash one of his Codex blades when he felt Vera turn in his arm.

"Father, please! Leave him out of this! He doesn't have to tell you anything!" Vera hissed angrily, "I knew it was a bad idea to come here! Now I'm trapped here until daylight comes! Just let us go in peace."

"Let him answer the questions, Vera!"

"He doesn't have to do your bidding!" Vera broke free of Eluveitie's grip and quickly unleashed one of her blades. Within seconds, she was right in front of her father with the blade to his neck, "I would never harm anyone in my family, but I think you all understand why I never come here. My loyalties are with the Brotherhood and they'll remain as such! While I despises teaching the students from time to time, I would never give it up for anything, for I know that I'm training the Assassins of tomorrow. The Assassins that will lead us to victory against the Templars who cause harm to anyone and everyone. We work in the dark, to serve the light. Nothing is true, everything is permitted. That is the oath I took when I became a true Assassin and that's what I'll live under. If you all don't like it, then I have no problems with you disowning me, but my loyalty stands as is."

She looked back at the others, who were watching in horror at the scene before them, "All I ask is that you allow me and Eluveitie to leave in peace. I will never return to this land unless otherwise noted." She lowered the blade, then stepped back, "My apologies to you, mother and father, but I have made my decisions and they'll remain as such." She spread out her arms, then gave a deep bow, "Victory to the Assassins." She spoke before rising. She reached down and picked up the sword, then walked back over to Eluveitie and passed it to him, "We will take our leave." She walked up to the vault, then swiftly climbed it. Within moments she was on the other side of the fence with Eluveitie close behind her. She raised her hood and made her way back into the forest.

She inhaled a sharp breath when she heard her father shout to her, in Irish, "Your mother and I love you dearly, Vera, but you have dishonored our family. We cannot forgive you for that." She leaned her head back slightly as a tear rolled down her cheek while those words rang through her head like the sound of a church bell ringing throughout the Irish hills.

Eluveitie noticed this, then put his arm around her, "Do you want me to carry you?" He whispered to her.

Vera shook her head, "No, I'll be fine." She whispered as she broke free of his grip and walked ahead of him slightly.

Eluveitie watched her for several moments before glancing back in the direction of the mansion. He wasn't sure what had been spoken, but he was fully aware that it had stung Vera like a wasp. If he could, he would have gone back and destroyed her family for hurting her, but he knew that he couldn't because it wouldn't only break Vera's heart even more, but it would look back to the Brotherhood. He inhaled a deep breath, then slowly let it out before following after her.

By the time they reached the cabin, a small bit of sunlight began to appear over the horizon, but that didn't stop Vera from laying in front of the fire place with a warm fire going. Upon returning, she had made a quick clothing change, then retreated into the small living room and rested herself upon the warm rug. Eluveitie had decided to leave her alone for about an hour before he approached her with a blanket and something warm to drink. He seated himself next to her, then put the blanket over her. He stared into the fire for several long moments before deciding to speak up.

"Do you want to put your earring back on?" He asked.

Vera waited a few seconds before replying, "As long as no sunlight gets in, then no. I'll wait a bit longer."

Eluveitie turned his head, "Are you going to be alright?"

"I don't know." Vera pushed herself up, then wrapped the blanket around her shoulders. She even put it over her head slightly, "I mean…I guess I was asking for it. I just…I don't even know anymore."

Eluveitie put his hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about what your father said to you. You know that you're better than them."

Vera grinned slightly before picking up the mug, "Too bad it's going to haunt me for the rest of my life. But, at least I was one, well, probably the only one, who was brave enough to follow our Assassin bloodline. And, I wouldn't trade it for the world." She brought the mug to her lips and took a sip. Then, she made a bit of a face and moved the mug away from her, "What did you put in this?"

"I tried to mix some blood in the hot chocolate. I figured you'd probably need some."

"This is nasty!" Vera shivered a little as she placed the mug on the floor and moved it away from her, "Blood mixed with anything is nasty!"

"I was trying to make that hot chocolate drink you like. I'll remember not to do that next time."

"I guess it's a good thing they dye the drink red, because I think it would gross a lot of people out if they tasted blood in the drink."

"I'm pretty sure that would make a lot of people sick."

"Yes, it would." Vera stood up, then walked into the small kitchen. She pulled out a bottle of blood and drank it. She shivered a little, "Yuck! I can still taste the chocolate. Man! I'm just not having a good week."

Eluveitie turned and looked at her, "You have to admit that it hasn't been all that bad…kind of."

Vera washed the bottle out, "Well, let's see…in the past several days I've been hurt three times and almost killed once…I'll include the killed part as being hurt. I've had to travel three times and came face to face with family who I've either never seen or haven't seen in a long time. Yeah, great week."

Eluveitie picked up the mug and walked over to her. He dumped it out in the sink, "Sounds almost like a normal week for us Assassins."

"True. Only, normal Assassins aren't vampires and don't have to deal with family like mine."

Eluveitie grinned a little, "Do you plan to win this war?"

Vera bumped him slightly with her hip, "You know I like to win the war." She walked back over to the fire place while swaying her hips. Then, she seated herself back onto the rug.

"Someone's being a little sassy this morning."

"Aren't I always?" Vera turned her head and watched him come over and sit down next to her, "Um…what my father said to you back there, don't worry about it. He doesn't need to know your past. He just likes to play mind games."

"I'm trying not to let it get to me."

Vera could tell that it was, indeed, bothering him for she could see it in his body language. She turned slightly, so that she was facing him, "Do you want to talk about it? I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to."

Eluveitie looked at the fire for several long moments before speaking, "He wasn't wrong about what he said. I was in that situation before…it nearly killed me."

"What happened?"

"I was a teenager at the time and grew up in northern Finland. My family didn't associate with my parents because they refused to become Assassins and went into the trade business. My father hunted and my mother would turn the animal skins into clothing which we would sell. But, I didn't want to follow in my father's footsteps. I wanted to become an Assassin because I knew deep in my heart that I was one. However, my father wouldn't teach me. He said being an Assassin was dangerous work and that I'd fall at the hands of the Templars as soon as I came face to face with one."

Eluveitie leaned back slightly as he kept his eyes locked to the flames, "After I turned sixteen, I decided to run away. Sadly, I picked a bad time to leave home because it was in the dead of winter. I grabbed whatever weapons I could and left home. My hope was that the snow would cover my tracks and they wouldn't be able to find me, but the snow was harsh. I had to camp out in a cave until it passed and I continued the next morning. I had made it pretty far by the end of the week and that's when I ran into trouble. There were a few Templars out that evening hunting and I was making my way to the next village. I don't know how they knew I was an Assassin, but they quickly came after me. I couldn't hold my own against the six of them and was badly wounded. They left me in that cold forest and the snow was starting to pick up again."

He leaned his head back slightly as he looked up at the ceiling for a moment before closing his eyes, allowing the memory to flow through his mind, "I seriously thought I was going to die, until a young man, about my age, showed up and helped get me to the village, which was at least fifteen minutes away. I don't know what happened after that because I had lost consciousness along the way. All I remember was waking up in a small cabin with the man, his parents and brother. They cared for me and, after explaining my situation to them, allowed me to live with them and they trained me to become an Assassin. They were from down south, so I was far enough away from my parents as possible. Luckily, I had family who lived down there, so they welcomed me with open arms, but I lived with the young man and his family. Over the years, we became best friends and we got lucky to get jobs at the same camp."

"I take it you're talking about Torstein."

Eluveitie nodded, "Yes. It was him who saved my life and I can never repay him enough for doing that."

"Have your parents ever tried to find you?"

Eluveitie grinned slightly, "Yes, they did. They came down south after winter had ended and my family told them that they shipped me off to Italy to train to become an Assassin, which, of course, wasn't true. After they told me, Torstein decided that I should cut and color my hair, just in case they decided to come back down south to get me. I swear I've had my hair dyed so many times for at least fifteen years I almost forgot what my natural hair color was."

"How long was your hair before this?"

"I'd say close to half way down my back. We did something stupid the first time we cut my hair…Torstein used a knife. Can I just say that was living hell! It was a little shorter than it is now and we dyed it blonde."

Vera's eyes widened, "What?! No way! Are there pictures floating around of you with that long hair?! And, with your blonde hair?! Seriously, where are they?!"

Eluveitie laughed, "If there were pictures, they probably don't exist anymore."

Vera pouted a little, "Well, that sucks. But, I'm glad I didn't have to go through all of that after my parents went back to Ireland. Well, I did cut my hair in the 80's…I kind of miss my long hair, but, at the same time, I really don't."

"How long was it before?"

Vera threw up a peace sign, "That's all you need to know."

"So, let me guess, your hair was down to…" Eluveitie gently hit her on the butt.

Vera screeched a little, then glared at him slightly, "Yes, it was. And, can I just say that it's a mortal pain in the ass to wash! On top of the fact that it doesn't help when you're fighting off Templars."

"I can see how that could be a problem. I guess I should be glad that I cut my hair cut, but, at the same time, I miss it a little."

"I'm happy with the way my hair is now…well, in my human form, that is." Vera laid down, then rested her head on his lap as she looked at the fire, which was slowly starting to burn out, "Anyways, we should probably think where to go from here, since it seems that this mission has come to an end."

"I'm guessing I'll be needed back in Finland and you'll be needed back in the states."

Vera pouted a little, "I always hate it when it comes to this."

"Sadly, that's the way it goes."

"Can I move to Finland? No offense, but I have more fun at your camp than I do back home. Lucas still isn't convinced on letting us shoot arrows at each other…I mean, at targets."

"I'm pretty sure that's why he won't let you have archery at the camp."

Vera rolled over and looked up at him, "Still, I want to come live with you."

"Talk to Lucas about it, but I'm pretty sure he's not going to let you go."

Vera groaned a little, then removed the necklace from around her neck and held it up. She looked at it for several moments before saying, "You know what? I think we need a vacation."

"And, what kind of vacation are you thinking about?"

"Contact Torstein and tell him to meet us in New Zealand. And, to bring our costumes with."

Eluveitie grinned slightly, "You do know that the heads of our camps are going to kill us when we get back, right?"

"Last I remember, I didn't care. Plus, I get in trouble all the time, so this should be no shock to Lucas." Vera sat up, "But, before we go, we're going to make a quick pit stop, and it'll be on our way out there anyways."


	14. Assassin's Creed: Magic Heirlooms Ch 14

Night fell in Florence, Italy as Vera and Eluveitie made their way back to Ezio's villa. The front door had been boarded up again and so were the two windows that had been knocked in. They chose another window to go in through and began to scale the wall. Eluveitie was able to knock the board in and climbed in before helping Vera inside. They both lit a lighter, then made their way downstairs to the room they were in a few days before. Vera stepped up to the fireplace and removed the necklace. She placed it on the mantle, then stepped back slightly.

"Ezio, I hope you don't mind that I brought a friend along to keep you company." She said as she could feel the room going cold and saw the flames on the lighters going low, "I'm sure you'll remember her."

Eluveitie kept close the doorway, then jumped slightly when he thought he felt something brush past him. He looked around to see what it was, then felt something touch his shoulder. He turned his head slightly and was able to make out the outline of a women who appeared to be close to Vera's age in her mortal form. His eyes widened slightly as he felt his heart drop.

Vera turned slightly, then grinned a little, "I think Kida likes you."

"My apologies for I can't tell if the spirit is talking to me or not." Eluveitie replied.

"You're lucky I can." Vera stepped forward, then looked at Kida, "I hope you don't hate me for bringing you here, but I did encounter Ezio when we were here several days back. I'm sure you'd rather spend the rest of your days in Italy than in Ireland." She spoke in Celtic.

Upon receiving an answer, Vera's eyes shifted to the doorway where she could feel the presents of Ezio's spirit entering the room. With that, the room grew colder and the lighters were close to dying out. She bowed her head slightly when she heard him address her, "May you two have the peace you deserve. If you two will excuse us, we must be on our way."

She walked over to Eluveitie, then felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head slightly when she heard Ezio speak to her. She smiled a little, "You're welcome, my friend." Once she was released, she took Eluveitie's hand and lead him out of the room and up the stairs. They made their way back into the room they came out of and proceeded to climb up to the roof. She looked out at the city as a light wind blew her cape.

"What now?" Eluveitie questioned as he touched his shoulder unable to grasp the notion that a spirit had touched him.

"We head back to the hotel, get in a few hours of sleep, then head to New Zealand." Vera replied as she looked in the direction of the hotel, "Then, we explore Middle Earth until we've taken The Ring to Mordor and have it destroyed."

"Sounds like a plan to me. So, which way to the hotel?"

Vera pointed, "That way. And, I'll race you, starting now!" She quickly darted off as she jumped from building to building.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Eluveitie quickly dashed after her.

In the silence of the night, the two Assassins made their way across the roof tops towards their destination unseen and unheard by the few people who were still out and about enjoying the wonderful night life of the exotic city of Florence.

Eluveitie woke from a deep sleep as the plane landed in New Zealand. He was about to wake Vera from her sleep when he looked down at his arm and sighed when he saw that she had retraced over the Supernatural symbols that had been slowly fading on his arm and that she had gone over the Celtic design on his other arm. He made a mental note to always wear a long sleeve shirt whenever flying with her. Upon waking her up, they grabbed their bags, then exited the plane. Within the hour, they arrived at the hotel to see the Torstein hadn't arrived yet. They checked in, then went to their room and relaxed for awhile. Vera read her book while Eluveitie attempted to get the ink off his arms. About two hours past when there was a knock on the door. Eluveitie answered it, then was knocked down by a man, close to his age, who looked almost like Faramir from The Lord of the Rings films.

"Oh, come on, Torstein!" He said, "Can't you get through the door without attacking me?!"

"Just happy to see you, my friend!" Torstein said in a semi-deep Finnish accent as he slowly released him, then rose to his feet, "Plus, I was even more excited when you invited me to come to New Zealand with you!" He picked up his bag, then walked into the room, "So, where are we going first?!"

Eluveitie slowly got to his feet, then closed the door, "Well, since it's getting late, we should probably think about heading out in the morning. We should check out Hobbiton first, then go from there."

"We've got a busy week ahead of us, but I'm looking forward to every bit of it! And, I apologize for being late. Flight got delayed for about an hour, but I made it here in once piece." Torstein put his bag down, then flopped down on the bed.

"What did you tell Joshua?" Eluveitie stepped farther into the room, then sat down on the bed Vera was sitting on.

"That you needed my help with your mission. But, I'm pretty sure he'll be pissed once he finds out what's really going on."

"It wasn't really my idea to come here."

Vera flushed slightly as she put the book close to her face. She slid down on the bed a little as well.

Torstein looked over at Vera, "Do you plan to get us in trouble?"

"As if I haven't been in trouble with Lucas before." Vera replied as she moved the book away slightly and glanced over at him, "Plus, I don't think they'll miss us for a week. They'll survive. And, I need a break from missions. Two in about two weeks…too much traveling."

"I think we all could use a break from 'work', but, sadly, that's the life of an Assassin. However, I'm looking forward to this trip, so I say we enjoy it while we can. Plus, who knows when we'll get the chance to come back here again."

Vera put the book down, then nodded, "I agree. So, I say we travel during the day and watch the movies during the night."

"Hell yah! This is going to be the best trip ever!"

"While I know we're all going to be in deep trouble when we get back, this trip will be worth it." Eluveitie agreed.

"Middle Earth, here we come!"

The morning came quickly and the three of them were on their way to Hobbiton, the film location for all six movies, and they were dressed as characters from The Lord of the Rings movies; Vera was Arwen, Eluveitie was Aragorn and Torstein was Faramir. Upon their arrival, they visited the town that was located a few short miles from Hobbiton before taking the guided tour that went through Hobbiton. The people on the tour with them, including the guide, were very impressed with their costumes. Upon finishing up the tour, they grabbed something to eat, then took a horse back ride through a nearby forest.

"I really want to live in one of those Hobbit holes." Torstein said.

"I love how they have it set up. It looks just like a real place. I'm starting to believe that Middle Earth really existed here many years ago." Vera replied as she tried to get herself comfortable on the saddle, for she was riding saddle because her dress wouldn't allow her to ride properly.

"For right now, let's just believe that it's real. So, are we heading to Wellington tomorrow? I'm excited to see Rivendell and I hope we can get a glance at the movie studio."

"I'm not sure if there are tours of the studio, but I believe there are movie tours." Eluveitie replied as he kept close to Vera, "I'm sure we'll be able to see Rivendell."

"Do you think they have built a set there? You know, kind of like what they did with Hobbiton?"

"I don't recall them mentioning anything about that in the extras, but there's no harm in seeing." Vera said, "I think it would be very interesting if they left something there. But, I'm not going to lie, I would DIE to see if they left Beorn's house! Oh gosh! Can you imagine how large that place would be to us? I wanna sit in that massive chair of his."

"I admit, I was impressed by the detail and hard work they put into that set. I wouldn't mind having myself a drink in one of those fancy steins."

"You wouldn't even finish it. You'd fall off the bench drunk before you could get halfway through." Eluveitie put in.

"Hey, I can dream, can't I?"

"Do you think they filmed any of the Mirkwood scenes out here? It's been awhile since I watched the extras on the DVD."

"I think it was all done with green screen." Vera said as she looked around the forest, "I believe they said that they couldn't find a forest within New Zealand that would be spooky enough, so they had to build a set."

"Wasn't it colorful?" Torstein asked.

Vera nodded, "It was and everyone kept getting lost in it. I believe it was to give off the illusion of hallucination, just like the real Mirkwood forest in the movie."

"I'd probably go crazy in a psychedelic forest." Eluveitie said, "I can already see myself getting high as hell just looking at all those colors."

"Hey! I lived through the sixties and seventies and I'll have you know that I didn't do drugs. Though, I'm not going to lie, that forest probably would make you high as hell…or maybe a bit sick, depending on how the colors look."

"Can we agree that if we do run into a forest with said colors that we'll stay as far away from it as possible."

Torstein raised his hand, "I'll agree to that notion. But, I wouldn't mind throwing some Templars in it. I think it would be funny to watch them get lost and think that they're high on drugs."

Vera couldn't help but laugh at that thought, "Oh god! We'd be out of our job if that happened. They'd probably kill themselves before they could make it out of the forest…if they can even find their way out."

"I say we find a forest and make it look like the psychedelic Mirkwood set and throw all the Templars within and see what happens!"

"I wouldn't mind seeing that. I'd get a kick out of it, really."

"And, just for kicks, let's throw in some Mirkwood elves. If the forest doesn't kill them, I'm sure the elves will."

"You know...I'm VERY tempted to make that happen."

"Alright, before we get ahead of ourselves." Eluveitie looked up at the sky to see that it was starting to get dark out, "We should head back. Let's get some dinner at 'The Prancing Pony' before we turn in for the night."

"I'll race you!" Torstein turned his horse, then kicked it and raced off.

"Hey! That was not agreed upon!" Eluveitie quickly turned his horse and raced after Torstein.

Vera slowly turned her horse and followed after them, "Don't worry, I'm in no hurry to get back." She patted her horse on the neck gently, "We'll let the boys have their fun."

Eluveitie laid fast asleep on one of the two beds while Vera sat next to him reading her book. She was wearing the jacket Eluveitie used for his costume. Torstein finished up in the bathroom, then walked out and sat on the other bed. He picked up his phone, then laid back and went through pictures that he had taken throughout the day, "Want me to send you some?" He asked.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind." Vera replied as she put the book marker in the book, then closed it up and laid it on the table in the center of the two beds.

Torstein sent her a few of the pictures, then sat up, "Are you cold?"

"Just a little. But, I just really wanted to wear this jacket. I like it a lot. It doesn't feel like it belongs on a costume…well, all our outfits don't look like costumes. Arwen's dress doesn't even feel like a costume."

"What good is a costume if it feels like one? I'd rather go for something that looks and feels real while still looking like the outfit. Something I can wear on a regular bases if I wanted to."

Vera picked up her phone and looked through the pictures. She saved them, then used one of the three of them as her background picture, "Like how you two wear your costumes during lessons?"

Torstein laughed, "I love the look on the students' faces when we do that and when we start acting like the characters! Their look of confusion is priceless! But, a lot of them enjoy seeing us in the outfits."

"As I've seen in the videos the both of you have sent me, which bring me much amusement. Too bad Lucas wouldn't let something like that fly. Oh well, such life." Vera turned her head slightly and looked at Eluveitie, who was still fast asleep, "He sleeps like a rock."

"He's a heavy sleeper, which is never good if you get attacked by Templars. But, he keeps his weapons close by, just in case."

"Yeah, I've taken notice to that." Vera turned her head, then opened up the small drawer on the nightstand and peeked inside to see one of Eluveitie's Codex weapons within. After several minutes, she closed the drawer, "He told me about how you two met several long years ago."

"I'm surprised it's taken him this long to say anything about it."

"Well…let's just say my father opened up a few old wounds. My family can be good at doing that. That's why I tend to stray away from them."

"He normally doesn't like to speak about it, though it helps if he does talk about it."

"Have his parents ever come back to get him?"

"You mean after the first time? I have seen them around time and time again, but they've never seen him. It's been about five years since they last came down."

"Do they know he's still in Finland?"

Torstein shrugged, "I can't tell you as his family are the ones who 'speak' to them. I've caught them hovering around the camp, but his cousin, Jakob, always tells them off. Last I heard, he told them that Eluveitie was off in a different country working with a group of Assassins to find one of the Treasures of Eden. But, that was about five years ago. I'm guessing they have since given up."

"Do you think they've really stopped trying?"

"I would hope so. They're getting to be a pest, but I do understand that they want their son back. However, I do fear what might happen if he should go off with them."

"They're not…Templars, are they?"

"Oh, God, no! They just don't want to be Assassins. Pretty much, they just want to live a 'normal' life without having to deal with the pressures of being an Assassin and having to worry about Templars coming after them time and time again."

"Do you think they do business with the Templars?"

"I'm guessing they do business with anyone as long as they keep their business to themselves."

Vera nodded a little, "What were you doing up there the day that he got hurt?"

"Same as everyone else, hunting. While my family are dedicated Assassins, we do enjoy hunting in the winter and we do make our own clothing, even though my aunt is better at it than my mom, I'm not going to lie on that one. It was a good thing I was in the area along with my brother. The both of us were able to take down the Templars and I went searching to see if there was anymore. That's when I found him and he looked half dead. They did a number on him, that's for sure."

Vera turned her body slightly, then looked down at Eluveitie. She placed her hand on a spot on his back, "Just like when me and my team found him and the others. He took a nasty hit to his back."

"I almost feel like he enjoys getting hurt. While he is a brave leader, he does have a rebellious side to him, which does worry Joshua at times. I think his emotions get the better of him."

"If it came down to it, would he give up his life in order to save his team?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he did." When he saw Vera face him, he replied, "He has the heart, will and bravery of an Assassin. I don't believe he would have left home if he didn't have those things within him. We Assassins protect our own in any condition. I'm sure there are others who've put their lives on the line for you."

Vera turned her head slightly as she looked down a little, "Every time I'm sent out on a mission, Lucas sends me out with the same guys. We do look out for each other, even though I'm the one who ends up coming back banged up, but I would rather take the wounds than any of them."

"There you go. He's the same way."

Before Vera could have a chance to reply, she felt the bed move, then turned and saw that Eluveite was starting to wake up. She turned towards Torstein, then grinned slightly as she said, "Faramir, how are we going to explain to Aragorn that Mr. Frodo already took The Ring to Mordor to be destroyed and that Mr. Frodo is now on a trip to the Undying Lands with Bilbo, Gandalf, Lord Elrond and Lady Galadriel?" She tried to make her voice sound like Pippin's, but it didn't turn out too good."

Torstein tried to keep himself from laughing while trying to keep a straight face, "Well, it'll be a shock to him, seeing as how he slept through the whole battle of Middle Earth at Mordor." He leaned over slightly to look at Eluveitie, "How you were able to sleep through that whole thing, I don't understand. Though, we did keep you in a safe place, so no one would kill the future king of Isildur.."

"But, he doesn't want to be king. He wants to spend the rest of his life as a ranger." Vera bit her lip as she tried to keep the laughter within her.

"Well, I think he needs to man up and take his place as king. It is his birthright after all."

"What the hell are you two talking about?" Eluveitie groaned a little as he slowly pushed himself up, "Wait a second…did you two watch all the movies without me?!"

Torstein laughed so hard that he not only fell back onto the bed, but had a cramp in his side, "I'm sorry, my friend, but that was just too good to pass up! And, no, we didn't even start watching the movies yet. Perhaps that's something we should think about doing tomorrow night."

"I swear if you two watched them while I was asleep…"

"Eluveitie, do you really think you'd be asleep that whole time? I mean, the movies are pushing a good twenty-two hours…or a little less than that. I don't think you'd be able to sleep that long."

"You slept for an hour and a half." Vera replied to him.

"You missed most of the first movie. Good job." Torstein quickly ducked when he saw a pillow come flying his way, "Alright, I get it."

"Ok, before the two of you..." Vera paused when she heard her phone going off, "...I'm not answering that."

Eluveitie and Torstein quickly turned their attention towards the phone, which was playing Sympathy for the Devil by Guns 'N' Roses. Eluveitie leaned over to have a look, "By any chance, does Lucas know thats you're ring tone for him?"

"No, and it stays between the three of us." After several moments, she leaned over and picked up the phone. She listened to the voice mail, then began to send him a text message.

"What does he want?" Eluveitie asked.

"Wants to know how much longer it's going to take." Vera hit the send button, then showed the two of them what she sent to Lucas, "Too bad he's going to have to wait just a bit longer for me to come home."

Upon the screen was a picture of the three of them in their costumes in the forest. Torstein was holding out his hand with The Ring resting on his palm while Vera and Eluveitie stood on either side of him. Underneath was a message that read; **Taking The Ring to Mordor. Be back in a week.**


End file.
